Tricyclic amine compound

ABSTRACT

A compound represented by the following general formula (I): 
     
       
         
         
             
             
         
       
     
     [wherein R 1  represents hydrogen atom or a C 1-6  alkyl group, A and B represent —(CH 2 ) 2 —, —(CH 2 ) 3 — or —(CH 2 ) 4 —, X represents —N(R 2 )— (R 2  represents hydrogen atom or a C 1-6  alkyl group), —CO—, —C(═N—R 3 )— (R 3  represents hydrogen atom or a C 1-6  alkyl group), or —C(═C(R 4 )(R 5 ))— (R 4  and R 5  independently represent hydrogen atom or a C 1-6  alkyl group), and Ar represents an aryldiyl group or a heteroaryldiyl group], which has an action of controlling physiological activities of retinoids and useful as an active ingredient of a medicament.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present invention relates to a tricyclic amine compound having an action of controlling physiological activities of retinoids.

BACKGROUND ART

Retinoic acid (vitamin A acid), an active metabolite of vitamin A, has extremely important physiological functions, e.g., inducing differentiation of immature cells under development processes toward mature cells having specific functions, enhancement of cell proliferation, life support action, and the like. Retinoic acid and compounds having retinoic acid-like biological activities are collectively referred to as “retinoids”.

It has been proved that all-trans retinoic acid, considered as a biological retinoid, regulates proliferation and differentiation of animal cells, cellular mortalities, and the like. It has also been revealed that various vitamin A derivatives synthesized so far also have similar physiological functions, for example, the benzoic acid derivatives disclosed in Japanese Patent Unexamined Publication (KOKAI) Nos. 61-22047 and 61-76440, the compounds described in Journal of Medicinal Chemistry, 31 (11), 2182, 1988, and the like. Furthermore, various synthetic retinoids are exemplified in Adv. Drug Res., 24, 81, 1993 and J. Med. Chem., 48, 5875, 2005. For example, it is suggested that 4-[(5,6,7,8-tetrahydro-5,5,8,8-tetramethyl-2-naphthalenyl)carbamoyl]benzoic acid (Am80) also exhibits physiological actions similar to (but different from) those of retinoic acid (Cell Structure Funct., 16, 113, 1991; Biochem. Biophys. Res. Com., 166, 1300, 1990). Besides these, it has been demonstrated that various compounds have retinoic acid-like activity, such as the heterocyclic ring-containing carboxylic acid derivatives (Japanese Patent Unexamined Publication No. 9-71566).

For retinoids, various pre-clinical and clinical researches have been conducted for use of them as a medicament for therapeutic or prophylactic treatment of skin diseases, autoimmune diseases, lipid or sugar metabolic disorders, cranial nerve diseases, and malignant tumors. For example, it has been found that they are useful for therapeutic or prophylactic treatment of hyperkaratosis of epithelial tissue, rheumatism, delayed allergy, multiple sclerosis, autoimmune diseases, bone diseases, leukemia, certain types of cancers and cranial nerve diseases, spinal cord injury, cardiovascular diseases such as arteriosclerosis, vasoconstriction or restenosis, and control of neovascularization, diabetes, and disorder of lipid metabolism. As described above, retinoids are characterized by having various biological activities and pharmacological activities, and thus being applicable to various diseases as objects of therapeutic treatment. However, it cannot necessarily be considered that they are practically used as satisfactory medicaments in view of selectivity for the action and action site, kinetics in the living bodies such as that for absorption and excretion, and side reactions, because of such diversity as described above.

As agents for controlling the activities of retinoids, there are known benzodiazepine derivatives such as 4-[5H-2,3-(2,5-dimethyl-2,5-hexano)-5-methyl-dibenzo[b,e][1,4]diazepin-11-yl]benzoic acid and 4-[1,3-dihydro-7,8-(2,5-dimethyl-2,5-hexano)-2-oxo-2H-1,4-benzodiazepin-5-yl]benzoic acid (International Patent Publication WO97/11061). There are also known agents acting on a retinoid receptor useful as retinoid action controlling agents (International Patent Publication WO99/24415). Although these compounds, per se, have no retinoid action or their retinoid actions are negligible, they have an action of remarkably enhancing actions of retinoids such as retinoic acid. Therefore, they have been suggested to be useful for therapeutic and prophylactic treatments of vitamin A deficiency disease, hyperkeratosis of epithelial tissue, rheumatism, delayed allergy, bone diseases, leukemia, and certain types of cancer.

As for expression of physiological activities of retinoids, existence of retinoid X receptor (RXR, of which ligand is 9-cis-retinoic acid) has been verified. It has been revealed that the retinoid X receptor forms a dimer with the retinoic acid receptor (RAR) to induce or suppress gene transcriptions, and thereby controls the expression of the physiological activities of retinoic acid (Mangelsdorf, D. J. et al., Nature, 345, pp. 224-229). It has also been revealed that the retinoid X receptor (RXR) binds to the retinoic acid receptor (RAR) as well as the intranuclear receptor of active vitamin D₃, PPAR whose involvement in lipid metabolism is suggested, and other receptors, and thereby controls expression of actions of physiologically active substances binding to these receptors including retinoids, vitamin D₃, thyroxine and the like (Mangelsdorf, D. J. et al., The Retinoids, 2nd Ed., Ravan Press, pp. 319-350, 1994). It is thought that the aforementioned compounds useful as retinoid action controlling agents act on RXR, and it is known that they can control expression of actions of physiologically active substances besides retinoids, such as vitamin D₃ and thyroxine.

-   Patent document 1: International Patent Publication WO97/11061 -   Patent document 2: International Patent Publication WO99/24415

DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION Object to be Achieved by the Invention

An object of the present invention is to provide a novel compound having an action of controlling physiological activities of retinoids and useful as an active ingredient of a medicament.

Means for Achieving the Object

The inventors of the present invention conducted various researches in order to achieve the aforementioned object, and as a result, found that the compounds represented by the following general formula had an action of enhancing physiological activities of retinoids. The present invention was accomplished on the basis of the aforementioned finding.

The present invention thus provides a compound represented by the following general formula (I):

[wherein R¹— represents hydrogen atom or a C₁₋₆ alkyl group, A and B independently represent —(CH₂)₂—, —(CH₂)₃— or —(CH₂)₄—, X represents —N(R²)— (R² represents hydrogen atom or a C₁₋₆ alkyl group), —CO—, —C(═N—R³)— (R³ represents hydrogen atom or a C₁₋₆ alkyl group), or —C(═C(R⁴)(R⁵))— (R⁴ and R⁵ independently represent hydrogen atom or a C₁₋₆ alkyl group), and Ar represents an aryldiyl group or a heteroaryldiyl group], a salt thereof, or an ester thereof.

According to a preferred embodiment of the aforementioned invention, there is provided the aforementioned compound represented by the general formula (I), a salt thereof, or an ester thereof, wherein R¹ is hydrogen atom or methyl group, A and B both represent —(CH₂)₃— or —(CH₂)₄—, X is —N(R²)— (R² represents hydrogen atom or a C₁₋₆ alkyl group), and Ar is a phenylene group, or a pyrimidinediyl group.

From another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a medicament comprising a compound represented by the aforementioned general formula (I), a physiologically acceptable salt thereof, or an ester thereof. This medicament can be used as an RXR agonist, for example, for the purpose of enhancing a retinoid action.

The present invention further provides use of a compound represented by the aforementioned general formula (I), a physiologically acceptable salt thereof, or an ester thereof for manufacture of the aforementioned medicament, and a method for prophylactic and/or therapeutic treatment of a disease in which a receptor belonging to the intranuclear receptor super family (Evans, R. M., Science, 240, p. 889, 1988), preferably a retinoid receptor (RAR, RXR, PPAR, FXR, LXR, Nurr, and the like) is involved, which comprises the step of administering an effective amount of a compound represented by the aforementioned general formula (I), a physiologically acceptable salt thereof, or an ester thereof to a mammal including human.

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION

In the specification, the alkyl group may be any of a linear alkyl group, a branched alkyl group, a cyclic alkyl group, and an alkyl group consisting of a combination these. The same shall apply to an alkyl moiety of other substituents having the alkyl moiety (alkoxyl group and the like).

As the C₁₋₆ alkyl group represented by R¹, a linear or branched alkyl group is preferred, a linear or branched C₁₋₄ alkyl group is more preferred, and methyl group is still more preferred. It is particularly preferred that R¹— is hydrogen atom or methyl group, and it is most preferred that R¹ is hydrogen atom. The C₁₋₆ alkyl group represented by R¹ may have a substituent. Type, substituting position, and number of the substituent are not particularly limited. Examples of the substituent include, for example, a halogen atom (fluorine atom, chlorine atom, bromine atom, or iodine atom), hydroxyl group, an alkoxy group, amino group, oxo group, and the like, but the substituent is not limited to these examples.

A and B independently represent —(CH₂)₂—, —(CH₂)₃—, or —(CH₂)₄—. It is preferred that both A and B represent —(CH₂)₃—, or both represent —(CH₂)₄—. When both A and B represent —(CH₂)₃—, it is preferred that R¹ is hydrogen atom or methyl group, and when both A and B represent —(CH₂)₄—, it is preferred that R¹ is hydrogen atom. The trimethylene group or tetramethylene group represented by A or B may have a substituent. Type, substituting position, and number of the substituent are not particularly limited. Examples of the substituent include, for example, a C₁₋₄ alkyl group, a C₁₋₄ alkoxyl group, a halogen atom (fluorine atom, chlorine atom, bromine atom, or iodine atom), hydroxyl group, an alkoxyl group, amino group, oxo group, and the like, but the substituent is not limited to these examples.

In —N(R²)—, —CO—, —C(═N—R³)—, and —C(═C(R⁴)(R⁵))— represented by X, R², R³, R⁴, and R³ represent hydrogen atom or a C₁₋₆ alkyl group. As the C₁₋₆ alkyl group, a linear alkyl group, a branched alkyl group, a cyclic alkyl group, and an alkyl group consisting of a combination these can be used. For example, methyl group, ethyl group, n-propyl group, isopropyl group, cyclopropyl group, n-butyl group, sec-butyl group, isobutyl group, tert-butyl group, cyclopropylmethyl group, n-pentyl group, neopentyl group, cyclopropylethyl group, cyclobutylmethyl group, n-hexyl group, cyclohexyl group, and the like can be used, but it is not limited to these examples. For example, hydrogen atom, methyl group, cyclopropylmethyl group, and the like are preferred. As X, —N(R²)— is preferred, and as R², hydrogen atom, methyl group, ethyl group, n-propyl group, isopropyl group, cyclopropyl group, n-butyl group, sec-butyl group, isobutyl group, tert-butyl group, cyclopropylmethyl group, and the like are preferred.

The aryl ring constituting the aryldiyl group represented by Ar may be a monocyclic aryl ring or a condensed aryl ring, and a 6- to 14-membered aryl ring can be used. More specifically, examples include, for example, benzene ring, naphthalene ring, and the like. As the aryl ring, benzene ring is preferred. The binding positions of the aryldiyl group are not particularly limited, and it may binds at positions at which it can bind. For example, in the case of phenylene group, said group may be any of 1,2-phenylene group, 1,3-phenylene group, and 1,4-phenylene group.

Although type and number of heteroatoms contained in the heteroaryl ring constituting the heteroaryldiyl group represented by Ar are not particularly limited, a heteroaryl ring containing one or more heteroatoms selected from the group consisting of nitrogen atom, oxygen atom and sulfur atom as ring-constituting atoms is preferred. When two or more heteroatoms are contained, they may be the same or different. The heteroaryl ring may be a monocyclic heteroaryl ring or a condensed heteroaryl ring. More specifically, examples include, for example, pyridine ring, pyrimidine ring, pyrazine ring, pyridazine ring, triazine ring, quinoline ring, isoquinoline ring, quinazoline ring, phthalazine ring, quinoxaline ring, naphthylidine ring, cinnoline ring, thiophene ring, furan ring, pyrrole ring, imidazole ring, pyrazole ring, triazole ring, tetrazole ring, oxazole ring, thiazole ring, benzothiazole ring, benzofuran ring, indole ring, indazole ring, benzimidazole ring, benzotriazole ring, benzoxazole ring, purine ring, and the like, but the heteroaryl ring is not limited to these examples. Among them, pyrimidine ring is preferred. The binding positions of the heteroaryldiyl group are not particularly limited, and said group can bind at arbitrary positions at which it can bind. For example, in the case of pyrimidinediyl group, said group may be any of 2,4-pyrimidinediyl group, 2,5-pyrimidinediyl group, and 4,5-pyrimidinediyl group.

The aryldiyl group and heteroaryldiyl group represented by Ar may have a substituent on the ring. Type, substituting position, and number of the substituent are not particularly limited. Examples of the substituent include, for example, a C₁₋₄ alkyl group, a C₁₋₄ alkoxyl group, a halogen atom (fluorine atom, chlorine atom, bromine atom, or iodine atom), hydroxyl group, an alkoxyl group, amino group, oxo group, and the like, but the substituent is not limited to these examples.

The compounds of the present invention represented by the general formula (I) may exist in the forms of acid addition salts or base addition salts, and any of such salts also fall within the scope of the present invention. Examples of the acid addition salts include mineral acid salts such as hydrochloride or hydrobromide, and organic acid salts such as p-toluenesulfonate, methanesulfonate, oxalate, or tartrate. As the base addition salts, metal salts such as, for example, sodium salt, potassium salt, magnesium salt, or calcium salt, ammonium salts, or organic amine salts such as triethylamine salt or ethanolamine salt, and the like may be used. Further, the compounds may exist in the forms of amino acid salts such as glycine salt.

As the ester of the compound of the present invention represented by general formula (I), a physiologically acceptable ester is preferred. Specific examples of preferred residues forming the ester include, for example, methyl group, ethyl group, propyl group, isopropyl group, butyl group, isobutyl group, t-butyl group, benzyl group, acetoxymethyl group, 1-(acetoxy)ethyl group, propionyloxymethyl group, 1-(propionyloxy)ethyl group, butyryloxymethyl group, 1-(butyryloxy)ethyl group, isobutylyloxymethyl group, 1-(isobutyryloxy)ethyl group, valeryloxymethyl group, 1-(valeryloxy)ethyl group, isovaleryloxymethyl group, 1-(isovaleryloxy)ethyl group, pivaloyloxymethyl group, 1-(pivaloyloxy)ethyl group, methoxycarbonyloxymethyl group, 1-(methoxycarbonyloxy)ethyl group, ethoxycarbonyloxymethyl group, 1-(ethoxycarbonyloxy)ethyl group, propoxycarbonyloxymethyl group, 1-(propoxycarbonyloxy)ethyl group, isopropoxycarbonyloxymethyl group, 1-(isopropoxycarbonyloxy)ethyl group, butoxycarbonyloxymethyl group, 1-(buthoxycarbonyloxy)ethyl group, isobutoxycarbonyloxymethyl group, 1-(isobuthoxycarbonyloxy)ethyl group, t-buthoxycarbonyloxymethyl group, 1-(t-buthoxycarbonyloxy)ethyl group, cyclopentanecarbonyloxymethyl group, 1-(cyclopentanecarbonyloxy)ethyl group, cyclohexanecarbonyloxymethyl group, 1-(cyclohexanecarbonyloxy)ethyl group, cyclopenthyloxycarbonyloxymethyl group, 1-(cyclopenthyloxycarbonyloxy)ethyl group, cyclohexyloxycarbonyloxymethyl group, 1-(cyclohexyloxycarbonyloxy)ethyl group, benzoyloxymethyl group, 1-(benzoyloxy)ethyl group, phenoxycarbonyloxymethyl group, 1-(phenoxycarbonyloxy)ethyl group, (5-methyl-2-oxo-1,3-dioxoren-4-yl)methyl group, 2-trimethylsilylethyl group, and the like, but the examples are not limited to these examples.

The compounds of the present invention may have one or more asymmetric carbon atoms depending on types of substituents. Arbitrary optical isomers based on these asymmetric carbon atoms, arbitrary mixtures of optical isomers, racemates, diastereomers based on two or more asymmetric carbon atoms, arbitrary mixtures of diastereomers, and the like all fall within the scope of the present invention. Further, arbitrary hydrates or solvates of the compounds in free form or in the form of a salt also fall within the scope of the present invention.

The preparation methods of preferred compounds among the compounds of the aforementioned formula (I) are specifically described in the examples given in the present specification. Therefore, any compounds falling within the scope of the present invention can be prepared by suitably selecting starting materials, reaction regents, reaction conditions and the like used in those preparation methods, and if necessary, appropriately modifying or altering the preparation methods. However, the preparation methods of the compounds of the present invention are not limited to those specifically explained in the examples.

The compounds represented by the aforementioned general formula (I) and salts thereof have an action of enhancing retinoid-like physiological activities (typical examples include cell differentiating activity, cell proliferation enhancing activity, life supporting activity and the like). Although it is not intended to be bound by any specific theory, the compounds and salts thereof of the present invention act as retinoid X receptor (RXR) agonists, and can bind to the retinoic acid receptor (RAR) as well as other receptors including the intranuclear receptor of active vitamin D₃, PPAR whose involvement in lipid metabolism is suggested, FXR, LXR, Nurr, and the like to enhance expression of actions of physiologically active substances such as retinoids, vitamin D₃ and thyroxine, which bind to the foregoing receptors. A method for evaluating compounds enhancing retinoid actions is described in International Patent Publication WO97/11061, and those skilled in the art can readily confirm the action of the medicament of the present invention by referring to this publication.

Therefore, for example, when retinoic acid or a retinoid having retinoic acid-like biological activities such as Am80 is administered as a medicament for prophylactic or therapeutic treatment of vitamin A deficiency disease, hyperkeratosis of epithelial tissue, psoriasis, allergic diseases, immunological diseases such as rheumatism, bone diseases, leukemia, or cancers, the compounds represented by the general formula (I) and salts thereof can be used as agents for enhancing the actions of the retinoid. Moreover, since the compounds represented by the general formula (I) and salts thereof have an action of enhancing actions of retinoic acid already existing in organisms, even when any retinoid is not administered for prophylactic or therapeutic treatment of the aforementioned diseases, they can be independently used as an active ingredient of a medicament for prophylactic or therapeutic treatment of the aforementioned diseases.

Furthermore, the compounds represented by the general formula (I) and salts thereof can also be used as agents for enhancing actions of physiologically active substances such as, for example, steroid compounds, vitamin D compounds including vitamin D₃, thyroxine and the like which bind to receptors belonging to the intranuclear receptor super family to exhibit their physiological activities, and are useful as an active ingredient of medicaments for prophylactic or therapeutic treatment of, for example, diabetes, arteriosclerosis, hyperlipidemia, hypercholesterolemia, bone diseases, cranial nerve diseases, rheumatism, immunological diseases and the like. Since the compounds represented by the general formula (I) and salts thereof can also control biological activities for which intranuclear receptors such as PPAR, LXR, FXR, and Nurr are involved, prophylactic or therapeutic treatment of the aforementioned diseases can be effectively attained with them, even when dose of a medicament comprising a ligand which binds to any of the aforementioned receptors is decreased to a level lower than the usual level.

An ester of a compound represented by general formula (I) can be used as a prodrug of the compound represented by general formula (I), and it can also be similarly used as an active ingredient of a medicament.

The medicament of the present invention comprises, as an active ingredient, one or more kinds of substances selected from the group consisting of the compounds represented by the aforementioned general formula (I), physiologically acceptable salts thereof, and esters thereof. As the medicament of the present invention, the aforementioned substance, per se, may be administered. However, a pharmaceutical composition for oral administration or parenteral administration may preferably be administered which can be prepared by a method well known to those skilled in the art. Examples of the pharmaceutical compositions suitable for oral administrations include, for example, tablets, capsules, powders, subtilized granules, granules, liquids, syrups and the like. Examples of the pharmaceutical compositions suitable for parenteral administrations include, for example, injections, drops, suppositories, inhalants, eye drops, nasal drops, ointments, creams, patches, transdermal preparations, transmucosal preparations, and the like.

Examples of pharmaceutically acceptable additives used for preparation of the aforementioned pharmaceutical compositions include, for example, excipients, disintegrators and disintegrating aids, binders, lubricants, coating agents, colorants, diluents, base materials, dissolving agents and dissolving aids, isotonic agents, pH modifiers, stabilizers, propellants, adhesives and the like. They can be suitably selected by those skilled in the art depending on the form of the pharmaceutical composition, and two or more kinds of them may be used in combination. The aforementioned pharmaceutical composition may be further added with one or more kinds of active ingredients such as retinoids.

Dose of the medicament of the present invention is not particularly limited, and it can be suitably changed depending on various factors that should usually be taken into consideration, such as weight and age of patients, type and symptoms of disease, and route of administration. For example, in the case of oral administration, it can be used in the range of about 0.01 to 1,000 mg per day for adults. When it is used as an agent for enhancing actions of a retinoid simultaneously or separately administered, it is desirable to suitably choose the dose with confirming expression of the actions of the retinoid.

EXAMPLES

Hereafter, the present invention will be more specifically explained with reference to examples. However, the scope of the present invention is not limited to the following examples. In the following examples, Me represents methyl group, and Et represents ethyl group.

Example 1 (1) 2,3,3a,4,5,6-Hexahydro-1H-phenalene

A solution of 2,3,3a,4,5,6-hexahydro-phenalene-1-one (2.00 g) in anhydrous tetrahydrofuran (70 ml) was cooled to 0° C., and slowly added with sodium borohydride (1.62 g) and aluminum chloride (2.85 g). The reaction mixture was refluxed by heating for 3 hours, then cooled to 0° C., and diluted with ethyl acetate. The reaction mixture was slowly added with ice until foaming ceased, and then the mixture was made to be at room temperature and stirred overnight. The reaction mixture was extracted with ethyl acetate, and the organic layer was washed successively with water and saturated brine, and dried over anhydrous sodium sulfate. The organic layer was concentrated under reduced pressure, and the resulting residue was purified by silica gel column chromatography (developing solvent: n-hexane) to obtain the title compound (1.47 g, yield: 80%).

¹H-NMR (400 MHz, CDCl₃): δ 1.26-1.40 (2H, m), 1.70-1.84 (2H, m), 1.85-2.00 (4H, m), 2.52-2.63 (1H, m), 2.78-2.82 (4H, m), 6.89 (1H, d, J=7.5 Hz), 7.02 (1H, t, J=7.5 Hz)

(2) 1-(5,6,6a,7,8,9-Hexahydro-4H-2-phenalenyl)ethanone

A suspension of aluminum chloride (0.250 g) in carbon disulfide (3 ml) was added with acetyl chloride (0.16 ml). The mixture was stirred at room temperature for 5 minutes, and then slowly added with 2,3,3a,4,5,6-hexahydro-1H-phenalene (0.250 g) dissolved in carbon disulfide (2 ml) at 0° C. The reaction mixture was stirred at 0° C. for 1 hour and at room temperature for 1 hour, and then poured into ice water, and the mixture was extracted with ethyl acetate. The organic layer was washed successively with water and saturated brine, and dried over anhydrous sodium sulfate. The organic layer was concentrated under reduced pressure, and the resulting residue was purified by silica gel column chromatography (developing solvent: ethyl acetate:n-hexane=1:500) to obtain 1-(5,6,6a,7,8,9-hexahydro-4H-1-phenalenyl)ethanone (0.139 g, yield: 45%) and the title compound (0.135 g, yield: 43%).

¹H-NMR (400 MHz, CDCl₃): δ 1.26-1.40 (2H, m), 1.77-2.02 (6H, m), 2.55 (3H, s), 2.56-2.60 (1H, m), 2.82-2.87 (4H, m), 7.50 (2H, s)

(3) 5,6,6a,7,8,9-Hexahydro-4H-2-phenalenecarboxylic acid

2.5 N Aqueous sodium hydroxide (9.2 ml) was cooled to 0° C., and slowly added with bromine (0.30 ml), and then the mixture was diluted with 1,4-dioxane (1.5 ml) to obtain a yellow solution. A solution of 1-(5,6,6a,7,8,9-hexahydro-4H-2-phenalenyl)ethanone (0.380 g) in water (5 ml) and 1,4-dioxane (10 ml) was cooled to 0° C., and slowly added with the yellow solution prepared above, and the mixture was stirred at 0° C. for 10 minutes and at room temperature for 1 hour. The reaction mixture was cooled to 0° C., and added with 10% aqueous sodium sulfite, then the mixture was made acidic with 2 N aqueous hydrochloric acid, and the mixture was extracted with chloroform. The organic layer was washed successively with water and saturated brine, and dried over anhydrous sodium sulfate. The organic layer was concentrated under reduced pressure, and the resulting residue was recrystallized from ethyl acetate-n-hexane to obtain the title compound (0.338 g, yield: 88%) as colorless needles (melting point: 208-209° C.).

¹H-NMR (400 MHz, CDCl₃): δ 1.26-1.41 (2H, m), 1.73-1.86 (2H, m), 1.88-2.05 (4H, m), 2.54-2.65 (1H, m), 2.82-2.88 (4H, m), 7.64 (2H, s)

(4) 5,6,6a,7,8,9-Hexahydro-4H-2-phenalenylamine

A solution of 5,6,6a,7,8,9-hexahydro-4H-2-phenalenecarboxylic acid (0.320 g) in anhydrous benzene (2 ml) was added with thionyl chloride (3 ml), and the mixture was refluxed by heating for 2 hours. The mixture was concentrated under reduced pressure, a solution of the resulting residue in anhydrous tetrahydrofuran (10 ml) was cooled to 0° C., and added with a solution of sodium azide (0.290 g) in water (1 ml), and the mixture was stirred at 0° C. for 30 minutes. The reaction mixture was added with saturated aqueous sodium hydrogencarbonate, and the mixture was extracted with diethyl ether. The organic layer was washed successively with water and saturated brine, and dried over anhydrous sodium sulfate. The organic layer was concentrated under reduced pressure, and the resulting residue was dissolved in acetic acid (7 ml) and water (3 ml), and the solution was refluxed overnight by heating. The reaction mixture was left to cool, then added with saturated aqueous sodium hydrogencarbonate and thereby made alkaline, and then the mixture was extracted with ethyl acetate. The organic layer was washed successively with water and saturated brine, and dried over anhydrous sodium sulfate. The organic layer was concentrated under reduced pressure, the resulting residue was dissolved in methanol (10 ml), the solution was added with concentrated hydrochloric acid (5 ml), and the mixture was refluxed by heating for 3 hours. The reaction mixture was left to cool, then diluted with diethyl ether, and extracted with 2 N aqueous hydrochloric acid. The aqueous layer was made alkaline with 2 N aqueous sodium hydroxide, and the mixture was extracted with diethyl ether. The organic layer was washed successively with water and saturated brine, and dried over anhydrous sodium sulfate. The organic layer was concentrated under reduced pressure, and the resulting residue was purified by silica gel column chromatography (developing solvent: ethyl acetate:n-hexane=1:50) to obtain the title compound (0.260 g, yield: 94%).

¹H-NMR (400 MHz, CDCl₃): δ 1.22-1.34 (2H, m), 1.66-1.80 (2H, m), 1.81-1.93 (4H, m), 2.40-2.54 (1H, m), 2.69-2.74 (4H, m), 3.43 (2H, br-s), 6.29 (2H, s)

(5) Ethyl 4-[(5,6,6a,7,8,9-hexahydro-4H-2-phenalenyl)amino]benzoate

5,6,6a,7,8,9-Hexahydro-4H-2-phenalenylamine (0.250 g) and ethyl 4-iodobenzoate (0.360 g) were dissolved in anhydrous toluene (5 ml), the solution was added with tris(dibenzylideneacetone)dipalladium (0.024 g), (±)-2,2′-bis(diphenylphosphino)-1,1′-binaphthyl (0.036 g), and cesium carbonate (0.455 g), and the mixture was stirred overnight at 80° C. under an argon flow. The reaction mixture was left to cool, and then poured into ice water, and the mixture was extracted with diethyl ether. The organic layer was washed successively with 2 N aqueous hydrochloric acid, water and saturated brine, and dried over anhydrous sodium sulfate. The organic layer was concentrated under reduced pressure, and the resulting residue was purified by silica gel column chromatography (developing solvent: ethyl acetate:n-hexane=1:50) to obtain the title compound (0.160 g, yield: 36%). The compound was recrystallized from chloroform-n-hexane to obtain colorless needles (melting point: 154-155° C.).

¹H-NMR (400 MHz, CDCl₃): δ 1.26-1.38 (2H, m), 1.37 (3H, t, J=7.2 Hz), 1.71-1.85 (2H, m), 1.87-1.99 (4H, m), 2.49-2.60 (1H, m), 2.76-2.80 (4H, m), 4.46 (2H, q, J=7.2 Hz), 5.86 (1H, br-s), 6.73 (2H, s), 6.93 (2H, d, J=9.0 Hz), 7.90 (2H, d, J=9.0 Hz)

(6) 4-[(5,6,6a,7,8,9-Hexahydro-4H-2-phenalenyl)amino]benzoic acid

A suspension of ethyl 4-[(5,6,6a,7,8,9-hexahydro-4H-2-phenalenyl)amino]benzoate (0.154 g) in ethanol (12 ml) was added with 20% aqueous sodium hydroxide (3 ml), and the mixture was stirred overnight at room temperature. The reaction mixture was made acidic with 2 N aqueous hydrochloric acid, and the mixture was extracted with chloroform. The organic layer was washed with saturated brine, and dried over anhydrous sodium sulfate. The organic layer was concentrated under reduced pressure, and the resulting residue was recrystallized from ethyl acetate-n-hexane to obtain the title compound (0.125 g, yield: 89%) as pale brown needles (melting point: 204-205° C.).

¹H-NMR (400 MHz, CDCl₃): δ 1.26-1.40 (2H, m), 1.72-1.86 (2H, m), 1.88-2.00 (4H, m), 2.50-2.60 (1H, m), 2.77-2.81 (4H, m), 5.93 (1H, br-s), 6.76 (2H, s), 6.94 (2H, d, J=8.7 Hz), 7.95 (2H, d, J=8.7 Hz)

Example 2 (1) Methyl 4-[N-methyl-(5,6,6a,7,8,9-hexahydro-4H-2-phenalenyl)amino]benzoate

A suspension of sodium hydride (60%, 0.012 g) in N,N-dimethylformamide (3 ml) was added with 4-[(5,6,6a,7,8,9-hexahydro-4H-2-phenalenyl)amino]benzoic acid (0.030 g) dissolved in N,N-dimethylformamide (2 ml), and the mixture was stirred at room temperature for 30 minutes. The reaction mixture was added with iodomethane (0.02 ml), the mixture was stirred overnight at room temperature, and then added with saturated aqueous ammonium chloride, and the mixture was extracted with diethyl ether. The organic layer was washed successively with water and saturated brine, and dried over anhydrous sodium sulfate. The organic layer was concentrated under reduced pressure, and the resulting residue was purified by silica gel column chromatography (developing solvent: ethyl acetate:n-hexane=1:80) to quantitatively obtain the title compound (0.033 g).

¹H-NMR (400 MHz, CDCl₃): δ 1.28-1.42 (2H, m), 1.72-1.86 (2H, m), 1.87-2.00 (4H, m), 2.52-2.63 (1H, m), 2.76-2.80 (4H, m), 3.31 (3H, s), 3.85 (3H, s), 6.72 (2H, d, J=8.7 Hz), 6.74 (2H, s), 7.84 (2H, d, J=8.7 Hz)

(2) 4-[N-Methyl-(5,6,6a,7,8,9-hexahydro-4H-2-phenalenyl)amino]benzoic acid

A suspension of methyl 4-[N-methyl-(5,6,6a,7,8,9-hexahydro-4H-2-phenalenyl)amino]benzoate (0.033 g) in ethanol (10 ml) was added with 20% aqueous sodium hydroxide (1 ml), and the mixture was stirred overnight at 50° C. The reaction mixture was left to cool and then made acidic with 2 N aqueous hydrochloric acid, and the mixture was extracted with chloroform. The organic layer was washed with saturated brine, and dried over anhydrous sodium sulfate. The organic layer was concentrated under reduced pressure, and the resulting residue was recrystallized from ethanol-chloroform to obtain the title compound (0.027 g, yield: 87%) as colorless needles (melting point: 288-289° C.).

¹H-NMR (400 MHz, CDCl₃+CD₃OD): δ 1.29-1.42 (2H, m), 1.72-1.86 (2H, m), 1.88-2.01 (4H, m), 2.54-2.62 (1H, m), 2.75-2.80 (4H, m), 3.31 (3H, s), 6.72 (2H, d, J=9.0 Hz), 6.75 (2H, s), 7.85 (2H, d, J=9.0110

¹H-NMR (400 MHz, DMSO-d₆): δ 1.23 (2H, td, J=11.7, 4.5 Hz), 1.62-1.74 (2H, m), 1.78-1.94 (4H, m), 2.50-2.53 (1H, m), 2.67-2.72 (4H, m), 3.21 (3H, s), 6.68 (2H, d, J=8.7 Hz), 6.72 (2H, s), 7.69 (2H, d, J=8.7 Hz)

Example 3 (1) Ethyl 4-[N-ethyl-(5,6,6a,7,8,9-hexahydro-4H-2-phenalenyl)amino]benzoate

A suspension of sodium hydride (60%, 0.009 g) in N,N-dimethylformamide (2 ml) was added with ethyl 4-[(5,6,6a,7,8,9-hexahydro-4H-2-phenalenyl)amino]benzoate (0.037 g) dissolved in N,N-dimethylformamide (1 ml), and the mixture was stirred at room temperature for 15 minutes. The reaction mixture was added with bromoethane (0.02 ml), the mixture was stirred at room temperature for 2 hours, and then added with saturated aqueous ammonium chloride, and the mixture was extracted with diethyl ether. The organic layer was washed successively with water and saturated brine, and dried over anhydrous sodium sulfate. The organic layer was concentrated under reduced pressure, and the resulting residue was purified by silica gel column chromatography (developing solvent: ethyl acetate:n-hexane=1:50) to obtain the title compound (0.036 g, yield: 90%).

¹H-NMR (400 MHz, CDCl₃): δ 1.23 (3H, t, J=7.2 Hz), 1.35 (3H, t, J=7.2 Hz), 1.29-1.42 (2H, m), 1.72-1.86 (2H, m), 1.87-2.01 (2H, m), 2.53-2.63 (1H, m), 2.75-2.80 (4H, m), 3.74 (2H, q, J=7.2 Hz), 4.30 (2H, q, J=7.2 Hz), 6.65 (2H, d, J=8.7 Hz), 6.72 (2H, s), 7.82 (2H, d, J=8.7 Hz)

(2) 4-[N-Ethyl-(5,6,6a,7,8,9-hexahydro-4H-2-phenalenyl)amino]benzoic acid

A suspension of ethyl 4-[N-ethyl-(5,6,6a,7,8,9-hexahydro-4H-2-phenalenyl)amino]benzoate (0.036 g) in ethanol (5 ml) was added with 20% aqueous sodium hydroxide (1 ml), and the mixture was stirred overnight at 50° C. The reaction mixture was left to cool and then made acidic with 2 N aqueous hydrochloric acid, and the mixture was extracted with chloroform. The organic layer was washed with saturated brine, and dried over anhydrous sodium sulfate. The organic layer was concentrated under reduced pressure, and the resulting residue was recrystallized from ethanol to obtain the title compound (0.026 g, yield: 79%) as colorless needles (melting point: 284-285° C.).

¹H-NMR (400 MHz, CDCl₃): δ 1.25 (3H, t, J=7.2 Hz), 1.29-1.43 (2H, m), 1.76-1.86 (2H, m), 1.88-2.00 (4H, m), 2.53-2.64 (1H, m), 2.77-2.81 (4H, m), 3.75 (2H, q, J=7.2 Hz), 6.65 (2H, d, J=8.7 Hz), 6.73 (2H, s), 7.85 (2H, d, J=8.7 Hz)

Example 4 (1) Ethyl 4-[N-cyclopropylmethyl-(5,6,6a,7,8,9-hexahydro-4H-2-phenalenyl)amino]benzoate

A suspension of sodium hydride (60%, 0.009 g) in N,N-dimethylformamide (2 ml) was added with ethyl 4-[(5,6,6a,7,8,9-hexahydro-4H-2-phenalenyl)amino]benzoate (0.033 g) dissolved in N,N-dimethylformamide (1 ml), and the mixture was stirred at room temperature for 15 minutes. The reaction mixture was added with bromomethylcyclopropane (0.02 ml), the mixture was stirred at room temperature for 2 hours, and then added with saturated aqueous ammonium chloride, and the mixture was extracted with diethyl ether. The organic layer was washed successively with water and saturated brine, and dried over anhydrous sodium sulfate. The organic layer was concentrated under reduced pressure, and the resulting residue was purified by silica gel column chromatography (developing solvent: ethyl acetate:n-hexane=1:50) to obtain the title compound (0.037 g, yield: 97%).

¹H-NMR (400 MHz, CDCl₃): δ 0.16 (2H, q, J=4.8 Hz), 0.46-0.53 (2H, m), 1.11-1.21 (1H, m), 1.28-1.43 (2H, m), 1.35 (3H, t, J=7.2 Hz), 1.72-1.86 (2H, m), 1.87-2.01 (4H, m), 2.52-2.63 (1H, m), 2.75-2.79 (4H, m), 3.54 (2H, d, J=6.6 Hz), 4.31 (2H, q, J=7.2 Hz), 6.69 (2H, d, J=8.7 Hz), 6.74 (2H, s), 7.82 (2H, d, J=8.7 Hz)

(2) 4-[N-Cyclopropylmethyl-(5,6,6a,7,8,9-hexahydro-4H-2-phenalenyl)amino]benzoic acid

A suspension of ethyl 4-[N-cyclopropylmethyl-(5,6,6a,7,8,9-hexahydro-4H-2-phenalenyl)amino]benzoate (0.037 g) in ethanol (5 ml) was added with 20% aqueous sodium hydroxide (1 ml), and the mixture was stirred overnight at 50° C. The reaction mixture was left to cool and then made acidic with 2 N aqueous hydrochloric acid, and the mixture was extracted with chloroform. The organic layer was washed with saturated brine, and dried over anhydrous sodium sulfate. The organic layer was concentrated under reduced pressure, and the resulting residue was recrystallized from chloroform-n-hexane to obtain the title compound (0.028 g, yield: 82%) as colorless needles (melting point: 214-216° C.).

¹H-NMR (400 MHz, CDCl₃): δ 0.17 (2H, q, J=5.7 Hz), 0.48-0.54 (2H, m), 1.14-1.22 (2H, m), 1.29-1.43 (2H, m), 1.75-1.86 (2H, m), 1.89-2.00 (4H, m), 2.53-2.62 (2H, m), 2.77-2.80 (4H, m), 3.55 (2H, d, J=6.3 Hz), 6.68 (2H, d, J=8.7 Hz), 6.75 (2H, s), 7.86 (2H, d, J=8.7 Hz)

Example 5 (1) Ethyl 2-[(5,6,6a,7,8,9-hexahydro-4H-2-phenalenyl)amino]pyrimidine-5-carboxylate

5,6,6a,7,8,9-Hexahydro-4H-2-phenalenylamine (0.100 g) was added with ethyl 2-chloropyrimidine-5-carboxylate (0.101 g) and potassium carbonate (0.400 g), and the mixture was stirred overnight at 110° C. The reaction mixture was left to cool and then added with water, and the mixture was extracted with chloroform. The organic layer was washed successively with water and saturated brine, and dried over anhydrous sodium sulfate. The organic layer was concentrated under reduced pressure, and the resulting residue was purified by silica gel column chromatography (developing solvent: ethyl acetate:n-hexane=1:20) to obtain the title compound (0.167 g, yield: 93%).

¹H-NMR (400 MHz, CDCl₃): δ 1.25-1.35 (2H, m), 1.38 (3H, t, J=7.2 Hz), 1.71-1.85 (2H, m), 1.87-1.99 (4H, m), 2.51-2.59 (1H, m), 2.80-2.85 (4H, m), 3.86 (2H, q, J=7.2 Hz), 7.13 (2H, s), 7.83 (1H, br-s), 8.94 (2H, s)

(2) 2-[(5,6,6a,7,8,9-Hexahydro-4H-2-phenalenyl)amino]pyrimidine-5-carboxylic acid

A suspension of ethyl 2-[(5,6,6a,7,8,9-hexahydro-4H-2-phenalenyl)amino]pyrimidine-5-carboxylate (0.055 g) in ethanol (5 ml) was added with 20% aqueous sodium hydroxide (1 ml), and the mixture was stirred at 50° C. for 3 hours. The reaction mixture was left to cool and then made acidic with 2 N aqueous hydrochloric acid, and the mixture was extracted with chloroform. The organic layer was washed successively with water and saturated brine, and dried over anhydrous sodium sulfate. The organic layer was concentrated under reduced pressure, and the resulting residue was recrystallized from ethanol-chloroform to obtain the title compound (0.045 g, yield: 90%) as colorless needles (melting point: 296-298° C.).

¹H-NMR (400 MHz, DMSO-d₆): δ 1.14-1.23 (2H, m), 1.63-1.71 (2H, m), 1.77-1.90 (4H, m), 2.22-2.28 (1H, m), 2.65-2.70 (4H, m), 7.17 (2H, s), 8.66 (2H, s), 9.75 (1H, s)

Example 6 2-[N-Methyl-(5,6,6a,7,8,9-hexahydro-4H-2-phenalenyl)amino]pyrimidine-5-carboxylic acid

A suspension of sodium hydride (60%, 0.008 g) in N,N-dimethylformamide (2 ml) was added with ethyl 2-[(5,6,6a,7,8,9-hexahydro-4H-2-phenalenyl)amino]pyrimidine-5-carboxylate (0.032 g) dissolved in N,N-dimethylformamide (1 ml), and the mixture was stirred at room temperature for 10 minutes. The reaction mixture was added with iodomethane (0.015 ml), and the mixture was stirred overnight. The reaction mixture was added with saturated aqueous ammonium chloride, and the mixture was extracted with diethyl ether. The organic layer was washed successively with water and saturated brine, and dried over anhydrous sodium sulfate. The organic layer was concentrated under reduced pressure, the resulting residue was suspended in ethanol (5 ml), the suspension was added with 20% aqueous sodium hydroxide (1 ml), and the mixture was stirred at 50° C. for 3 hours. The reaction mixture was left to cool and then made acidic with 2 N aqueous hydrochloric acid, and the mixture was extracted with chloroform. The organic layer was washed successively with water and saturated brine, and dried over anhydrous sodium sulfate. The organic layer was concentrated under reduced pressure, and the resulting residue was recrystallized from ethanol to obtain the title compound (0.027 g, yield: 87%) as colorless needles (melting point: 255-256° C.).

¹H-NMR (400 MHz, CDCl₃): δ 1.34-1.43 (2H, m), 1.72-1.86 (2H, m), 1.88-1.95 (4H, m), 2.53-2.62 (1H, m), 2.80-2.84 (4H, m), 3.55 (3H, s), 6.81 (2H, s), 8.91 (2H, s)

Example 7 2-[N-Ethyl-(5,6,6a,7,8,9-hexahydro-4H-2-phenalenyl)amino]pyrimidine-5-carboxylic acid

A suspension of sodium hydride (60%, 0.008 g) in N,N-dimethylformamide (2 ml) was added with ethyl 2-[(5,6,6a,7,8,9-hexahydro-4H-2-phenalenyl)amino]pyrimidine-5-carboxylate (0.032 g) dissolved in N,N-dimethylformamide (1 ml), and the mixture was stirred at room temperature for 10 minutes. The reaction mixture was added with bromoethane (0.017 ml), and the mixture was stirred overnight. The reaction mixture was added with saturated aqueous ammonium chloride, and the mixture was extracted with diethyl ether. The organic layer was washed successively with water and saturated brine, and dried over anhydrous sodium sulfate. The organic layer was concentrated under reduced pressure, the resulting residue was suspended in ethanol (5 ml), the suspension was added with 20% aqueous sodium hydroxide (1 ml), and the mixture was stirred at 50° C. for 3 hours. The reaction mixture was left to cool and then made acidic with 2 N aqueous hydrochloric acid, and the mixture was extracted with chloroform. The organic layer was washed successively with water and saturated brine, and dried over anhydrous sodium sulfate. The organic layer was concentrated under reduced pressure, and the resulting residue was recrystallized from chloroform-n-hexane to obtain the title compound (0.023 g, yield: 77%) as colorless needles (melting point: 252-253° C.).

¹H-NMR (400 MHz, CDCl₃): δ 1.26 (3H, t, J=7.2 Hz), 1.34-1.43 (2H, m), 1.75-1.85 (2H, m), 1.89-1.98 (4H, m), 2.54-2.63, 1H, m), 2.80-2.84 (4H, m), 4.02 (2H, q, J=7.2 Hz), 6.76 (2H, s), 8.89 (2H, s)

Example 8 2-[N-Cyclopropylmethyl-(5,6,6a,7,8,9-hexahydro-4H-2-phenalenyl)amino]pyrimidine-5-carboxylic acid

A suspension of sodium hydride (60%, 0.009 g) in N,N-dimethylformamide (2 ml) was added with ethyl 2-[(5,6,6a,7,8,9-hexahydro-4H-2-phenalenyl)amino]pyrimidine-5-carboxylate (0.035 g) dissolved in N,N-dimethylformamide (1 ml), and the mixture was stirred at room temperature for 10 minutes. The reaction mixture was added with bromomethylcyclopropane (0.025 ml), and the mixture was stirred overnight. The reaction mixture was added with saturated aqueous ammonium chloride, and the mixture was extracted with diethyl ether. The organic layer was washed successively with water and saturated brine, and dried over anhydrous sodium sulfate. The organic layer was concentrated under reduced pressure, the resulting residue was suspended in ethanol (5 ml), the suspension was added with 20% aqueous sodium hydroxide (1 ml), and the mixture was stirred at 50° C. for 3 hours. The reaction mixture was left to cool and then made acidic with 2 N aqueous hydrochloric acid, and the mixture was extracted with chloroform. The organic layer was washed successively with water and saturated brine, and dried over anhydrous sodium sulfate. The organic layer was concentrated under reduced pressure, and the resulting residue was purified by silica gel column chromatography (developing solvent: ethyl acetate:n-hexane=1:5) to obtain the title compound (0.039 g, yield: 96%) as pale yellow amorphous.

¹H-NMR (400 MHz, CDCl₃): δ 0.25 (2H, dd, J=10.8, 4.8 Hz), 0.44-0.50 (2H, m), 1.15-1.23 (1H, m), 1.30-1.43 (2H, m), 1.75-1.85 (2H, m), 1.88-1.98 (4H, m), 2.54-2.62 (1H, m) 2.82 (4H, br-dd, J=8.1, 4.5 Hz), 3.86 (2H, d, J=7.2 Hz), 6.80 (2H, s), 8.79 (2H, s)

Example 9 (1) 3a-Methyl-2,3,3a,4-tetrahydro-1H-phenalene

A solution of 3a-methyl-2,3,3a,4,5,6-hexahydro-1-phenalenone (2.14 g) in anhydrous tetrahydrofuran (70 ml) was cooled to 0° C., and slowly added with sodium borohydride (1.62 g) and aluminum chloride (2.85 g). The reaction mixture was refluxed by heating for 3 hours, then cooled to 0° C., and diluted with ethyl acetate. The mixture was slowly added with ice until foaming ceased, and then the mixture was made to be at room temperature and stirred overnight. The reaction mixture was extracted with ethyl acetate, and the organic layer was washed successively with water and saturated brine, and dried over anhydrous sodium sulfate. The organic layer was concentrated under reduced pressure, and the resulting residue was purified by silica gel column chromatography (developing solvent: n-hexane) to obtain the title compound (1.83 g, yield: 97%).

¹H-NMR (400 MHz, CDCl₃): δ 1.16 (3H, s), 1.64 (1H, td, J=13.1, 3.4 Hz), 1.74 (1H, dt, J=12.8, 3.4 Hz), 1.79-1.89 (1H, m), 1.92-2.04 (1H, m), 2.10 (1H, dd, J=17.1, 6.3 Hz), 2.27 (1H, dt, J=17.1, 2.7 Hz), 2.77-2.83 (2H, m), 5.89-5.95 (1H, m), 6.45 (1H, dd, J=9.6, 3.0 Hz), 6.85 (1H, d, J=7.5 Hz), 6.92 (1H, d, J=7.5 Hz), 7.03 (1H, t, J=7.5 Hz)

(2) 3a-Methyl-2,3,3a,4,5,6-hexahydro-1H-phenalene

3a-Methyl-2,3,3a,4-tetrahydro-1H-phenalene (1.83 g) was dissolved in ethanol (12 ml), the solution was added with 10% palladium/carbon (0.183 g), and the mixture was stirred for 6 hours under a hydrogen flow. The reaction mixture was filtered through Celite, then the solvent of the filtrate was concentrated under reduced pressure, and the resulting residue was purified by silica gel column chromatography using a small amount of silica gel (developing solvent: n-hexane) to obtain the title compound (1.74 g, yield: 94%).

¹H-NMR (400 MHz, CDCl₃): δ 1.17 (3H, s), 1.51 (2H, td, J=13.1, 5.1 Hz), 1.66 (2H, dt, J=13.1, 4.1 Hz), 1.74-1.86 (2H, m), 1.98-2.14 (2H, m), 2.79 (2H, dt, J=17.1, 8.6 Hz), 2.91 (211, ddd, J=17.1, 8.1, 3.5 Hz), 6.88 (2H, dd, J=7.5, 0.8 Hz), 7.00 (1H, dd, J=8.1, 6.6 Hz)

(3) 1-(6a-Methyl-5,6,6a,7,8,9-hexahydro-4H-2-phenalenyl)ethanone

A suspension of aluminum chloride (1.62 g) in carbon disulfide (25 ml) was added with acetyl chloride (1.00 ml) at −10° C. The mixture was stirred at −10° C. for 20 minutes, and then slowly added with 3a-methyl-2,3,3a,4,5,6-hexahydro-1H-phenalene (1.74 g) dissolved in carbon disulfide (15 ml), and the temperature of the mixture was gradually elevated to room temperature. The reaction mixture was stirred at room temperature for 30 minutes, and then poured into ice water, and the mixture was extracted with ethyl acetate. The organic layer was washed successively with water and saturated brine, and dried over anhydrous sodium sulfate. The organic layer was concentrated under reduced pressure, and the resulting residue was purified by silica gel column chromatography (developing solvent: ethyl acetate:n-hexane=1:500) to obtain 1-(6a-methyl-5,6,6a,7,8,9-hexahydro-4H-1-phenalenyl)ethanone (1.63 g, yield: 77%) and the title compound (0.465 g, yield: 22%). The compound was recrystallized from n-hexane to obtain colorless prisms (melting point: 100-101.5° C.).

¹H-NMR (400 MHz, CDCl₃): δ 1.17 (3H, s), 1.51 (2H, td, J=13.0, 4.8 Hz), 1.70 (2H, dt, J=13.0, 4.1 Hz), 1.78-1.89 (2H, m), 1.99-2.15 (2H, m), 2.55 (3H, s), 2.82 (2H, dt, J=17.1, 8.6 Hz), 2.97 (2H, ddd, J=17.3, 7.9, 3.3 Hz), 7.48 (2H, s)

(4) 6a-Methyl-5,6,6a,7,8,9-hexahydro-4H-2-phenalenecarboxylic acid

2.5 N Aqueous sodium hydroxide (9.3 ml) was cooled to 0° C., slowly added with bromine (0.30 ml), and then diluted with 1,4-dioxane (10 ml) to obtain a yellow solution. A solution of 1-(6a-methyl-5,6,6a,7,8,9-hexahydro-4H-2-phenalenyl)ethanone (0.409 g) in water (5 ml) and 1,4-dioxane (10 ml) was cooled to 0° C., and slowly added with the yellow solution prepared above, and the mixture was stirred at 0° C. for 30 minutes and at room temperature for 1 hour. The reaction mixture was cooled to 0° C., and added with 10% aqueous sodium sulfite, the mixture was made acidic with 2 N aqueous hydrochloric acid, and the mixture was extracted with chloroform. The organic layer was washed successively with water and saturated brine, and dried over anhydrous sodium sulfate. The organic layer was concentrated under reduced pressure, and the resulting residue was recrystallized from ethyl acetate-n-hexane to obtain the title compound (0.333 g, yield: 81%) as colorless needles (melting point: 213-215° C.).

¹H-NMR (400 MHz, CDCl₃): δ 1.17 (3H, s), 1.52 (2H, td, J=13.1, 5.1 Hz), 1.70 (2H, dt, J=13.1, 4.1 Hz), 1.78-1.89 (2H, m), 1.99-2.15 (2H, m), 2.84 (2H, dt, J=17.3, 8.6 Hz), 2.97 (2H, ddd, J=17.3, 8.1, 3.6 Hz), 7.62 (2H, s)

(5) 6a-Methyl-5,6,6a,7,8,9-hexahydro-4H-2-phenalenylamine

A solution of 6a-methyl-5,6,6a,7,8,9-hexahydro-4H-2-phenalenecarboxylic acid (0.165 g) in anhydrous benzene (3 ml) was added with thionyl chloride (1 ml), and the mixture was refluxed by heating for 2 hours. The reaction mixture was concentrated under reduced pressure, a solution of the resulting residue in anhydrous tetrahydrofuran (5 ml) was cooled to 0° C., and added with a solution of sodium azide (0.140 g) in water (0.5 ml), and the mixture was stirred at 0° C. for 30 minutes. The reaction mixture was added with saturated aqueous sodium hydrogencarbonate, and the mixture was extracted with diethyl ether. The organic layer was washed successively with water and saturated brine, and dried over anhydrous sodium sulfate. The organic layer was concentrated under reduced pressure, the resulting residue was dissolved in acetic acid (5 ml) and water (2 ml), and the solution was refluxed overnight by heating. The reaction mixture was left to cool and then added with saturated aqueous sodium hydrogencarbonate and thereby made alkaline, and then the mixture was extracted with ethyl acetate. The organic layer was washed successively with water and saturated brine, and dried over anhydrous sodium sulfate. The organic layer was concentrated under reduced pressure, the resulting residue was dissolved in methanol (5 ml), the solution was added with concentrated hydrochloric acid (3 ml), and the mixture was refluxed by heating for 3 hours. The reaction mixture was left to cool and then made alkaline with 10% aqueous sodium carbonate, and the mixture was extracted with diethyl ether. The organic layer was washed successively with water and saturated brine, and dried over anhydrous sodium sulfate. The organic layer was concentrated under reduced pressure, and the resulting residue was purified by silica gel column chromatography (developing solvent: ethyl acetate:n-hexane=1:50) to obtain the title compound (0.138 g, yield: 96%).

¹H-NMR (400 MHz, CDCl₃): δ 1.13 (3H, s), 1.46 (2H, td, J=12.9, 5.1 Hz), 1.62 (2H, dt, J=12.9, 4.1 Hz), 1.71-1.82 (2H, m), 1.94-2.10 (2H, m), 2.69 (2H, dt, J=17.1, 8.6 Hz), 2.81 ddd, J=17.4, 8.0, 3.5 Hz), 3.40 (2H, br-s), 6.27 (2H, s)

(7) Ethyl 4-[(6a-methyl-5,6,6a,7,8,9-hexahydro-4H-2-phenalenyl)amino]benzoate

6a-Methyl-5,6,6a,7,8,9-hexahydro-4H-2-phenalenylamine (0.290 g) and ethyl 4-iodobenzoate (0.390 g) were dissolved in anhydrous toluene (5 ml), the solution was added with tris(dibenzylideneacetone)dipalladium (0.026 g), (±)-2,2′-bis(diphenylphosphino)-1,1′-binaphthyl (0.036 g), and cesium carbonate (0.493 g), and the mixture was stirred overnight at 80° C. under an argon flow. The reaction mixture was left to cool and then poured into ice water, and the mixture was extracted with diethyl ether. The organic layer was washed successively with 2 N aqueous hydrochloric acid, water and saturated brine, and dried over anhydrous sodium sulfate. The organic layer was concentrated under reduced pressure, and the resulting residue was purified by silica gel column chromatography (developing solvent: ethyl acetate:n-hexane=1:50) to obtain the title compound (0.261 g, yield: 52%). The compound was recrystallized from chloroform-n-hexane to obtain colorless needles (melting point: 135-137° C.).

¹H-NMR (400 MHz, CDCl₃): δ 1.17 (3H, s), 1.37 (3H, t, J=7.2 Hz), 1.50 (2H, td, J=12.9, 5.1 Hz), 1.68 (2H, dt, J=12.9, 4.1 Hz), 1.75-1.86 (2H, m), 1.98-2.15 (2H, m), 2.75 (2H, dt, J=17.3, 8.6 Hz), 2.88 (2H, ddd, J=17.3, 7.8, 3.3 Hz), 4.33 (2H, q, J=7.2 Hz), 5.84 (1H, br-s), 6.72 (2H, s), 6.93 (2H, d, J=9.0 Hz), 7.89 (2H, d, J=9.0 Hz)

(8) 4-[(6a-Methyl-5,6,6a,7,8,9-hexahydro-4H-2-phenalenyl)amino]benzoic acid

A suspension of ethyl 4-[(6a-methyl-5,6,6a,7,8,9-hexahydro-4H-2-phenalenyl)amino]benzoate (0.250 g) in ethanol (15 ml) was added with 20% aqueous sodium hydroxide (5 ml), and the mixture was stirred overnight at room temperature. The reaction mixture was made acidic with 2 N aqueous hydrochloric acid, and the mixture was extracted with chloroform. The organic layer was washed with saturated brine, and dried over anhydrous sodium sulfate. The organic layer was concentrated under reduced pressure, and the resulting residue was recrystallized from ethyl acetate-n-hexane to obtain the title compound (0.185 g, yield: 80%) as pale brown needles (melting point: 232-234° C.).

¹H-NMR (400 MHz, CDCl₃): δ 1.18 (3H, s), 1.51 (2H, td, J=12.9, 4.8 Hz), 1.69 (2H, dt, J=12.9, 4.1 Hz), 1.76-1.87 (2H, m), 1.99-2.18 (2H, m), 2.76 (2H, dt, J=17.3, 8.7 Hz), 2.89 (2H, ddd, J=17.3, 7.9, 3.3 Hz), 5.91 (1H, br-s), 6.74 (2H, s), 6.94 (2H, d, J=8.6 Hz), 7.94 (2H, d, J=8.6 Hz)

Example 10 (1) Methyl 4-[N-methyl-(6a-methyl-5,6,6a,7,8,9-hexahydro-4H-2-phenalenyl)amino]benzoate

A suspension of sodium hydride (60%, 0.011 g) in N,N-dimethylformamide (3 ml) was added with 4-[(6a-methyl-5,6,6a,7,8,9-hexahydro-4H-2-phenalenyl)amino]benzoic acid (0.029 g) dissolved in N,N-dimethylformamide (2 ml), and the mixture was stirred at room temperature for 30 minutes. The reaction mixture was added with iodomethane (0.02 ml), the mixture was stirred overnight at room temperature, and then added with saturated aqueous ammonium chloride, and the mixture was extracted with diethyl ether. The organic layer was washed successively with water and saturated brine, and dried over anhydrous sodium sulfate. The organic layer was concentrated under reduced pressure, and the resulting residue was purified by silica gel column chromatography (developing solvent: ethyl acetate:n-hexane=1:80) to obtain the title compound (0.031 g, yield: 97%).

¹H-NMR (400 MHz, CDCl₃): δ 1.19 (3H, s), 1.52 (2H, td, J=12.9, 5.1 Hz), 1.69 (2H, dt, J=12.9, 3.9 Hz), 1.76-1.87 (2H, m), 1.99-2.15 (2H, m), 2.75 (2H, dt, J=17.3, 8.7 Hz), 2.87 (2H, ddd, J=17.1, 8.0, 3.5 Hz), 3.30 (3H, s), 3.85 (3H, s), 6.71 (2H, d, J=8.7 Hz), 6.72 (2H, s), 7.84 (2H, d, J=8.7 Hz)

(2) 4-[N-Methyl-(6a-methyl-5,6,6a,7,8,9-hexahydro-4H-2-phenalenyl)amino]benzoic acid

A suspension of methyl 4-[N-methyl-(6a-methyl-5,6,6a,7,8,9-hexahydro-4H-2-phenalenyl)amino]benzoate (0.031 g) in ethanol (10 ml) was added with 20% aqueous sodium hydroxide (2 ml), and the mixture was stirred overnight at 50° C. The reaction mixture was left to cool and then made acidic with 2 N aqueous hydrochloric acid, and the mixture was extracted with chloroform. The organic layer was washed with saturated brine, and dried over anhydrous sodium sulfate. The organic layer was concentrated under reduced pressure, and the resulting residue was recrystallized from ethanol to obtain the title compound (0.027 g, yield: 90%) as colorless needles (melting point: 257-258° C.).

¹H-NMR (400 MHz, CDCl₃+CD₃OD): δ 1.20 (3H, s), 1.53 (2H, td, J=12.9, 5.1 Hz), 1.70 (211, dt, J=12.9, 3.9 Hz), 1.77-1.88 (2H, m), 2.00-2.16 (2H, m), 2.76 (2H, dt, J=17.4, 8.7 Hz), 2.89 (2H, ddd, J=17.4, 8.1, 3.3 Hz), 3.31 (3H, s), 6.72 (2H, d, J=9.0 Hz), 6.73 (2H, s), 7.85 (2H, d, J=9.0 Hz)

¹H-NMR (400 MHz, DMSO-d₆): δ 1.11 (3H, s), 1.40 (2H, td, J=12.9, 4.8 Hz), 1.59-1.66 (2H, m), 1.68-1.78 (2H, m), 1.89-2.04 (2H, m), 2.68 (2H, dt, J=17.4, 8.7 Hz), 2.82 (2H, ddd, J=17.4, 8.1, 3.3 Hz), 3.21 (3H, s), 6.68 (2H, d, J=8.7 Hz), 6.70 (2H, s), 7.69 (2H, d, J=8.7 Hz)

Example 11 (1) Ethyl 4-[N-ethyl-(6a-methyl-5,6,6a,7,8,9-hexahydro-4H-2-phenalenyl)amino]benzoate

A suspension of sodium hydride (60%, 0.013 g) in N,N-dimethylformamide (3 ml) was added with ethyl 4-[(6a-methyl-5,6,6a,7,8,9-hexahydro-4H-2-phenalenyl)amino]benzoate (0.055 g) dissolved in N,N-dimethylformamide (2 ml), and the mixture was stirred at room temperature for 15 minutes. The reaction mixture was added with bromoethane (0.025 ml), the mixture was stirred overnight at room temperature, and then added with saturated aqueous ammonium chloride, and the mixture was extracted with diethyl ether. The organic layer was washed successively with water and saturated brine, and dried over anhydrous sodium sulfate. The organic layer was concentrated under reduced pressure, and the resulting residue was purified by silica gel column chromatography (developing solvent: ethyl acetate:n-hexane=1:50) to obtain the title compound (0.058 g, yield: 98%).

¹H-NMR (400 MHz, CDCl₃): δ 1.19 (3H, s), 1.23 (3H, t, J=7.2 Hz), 1.34 (3H, t, J=7.2 Hz), 1.53 (2H, td, J=12.9, 5.1 Hz), 1.69 (2H, dt, J=12.9, 3.9 Hz), 1.76-1.87 (2H, m), 1.99-2.15 (2H, m), 2.75 (2H, dt, J=17.4, 8.7 Hz), 2.87 (2H, ddd, J=17.4, 8.1, 3.3 Hz), 3.73 (2H, q, J=7.2 Hz), 4.30 (2H, q, J=7.2 Hz), 6.64 (2H, d, J=8.7 Hz), 6.69 (2H, s), 7.82 (2H, d, J=8.7 Hz)

(2) 4-[N-Ethyl-(6a-methyl-5,6,6a,7,8,9-hexahydro-4H-2-phenalenyl)amino]benzoic acid

A suspension of ethyl 4-[N-ethyl-(6a-methyl-5,6,6a,7,8,9-hexahydro-4H-2-phenalenyl)amino]benzoate (0.058 g) in ethanol (5 ml) was added with 20% aqueous sodium hydroxide (1 ml), and the mixture was stirred overnight at 50° C. The reaction mixture was left to cool and then made acidic with 2 N aqueous hydrochloric acid, and the mixture was extracted with chloroform. The organic layer was washed with saturated brine, and dried over anhydrous sodium sulfate. The organic layer was concentrated under reduced pressure, and the resulting residue was recrystallized from ethanol to obtain the title compound (0.047 g, yield: 87%) as colorless needles (melting point: 279-280° C.).

¹H-NMR (400 MHz, CDCl₃): δ 1.20 (3H, s), 1.24 (3H, t, J=6.9 Hz), 1.48-1.58 (2H, m), 1.66-1.73 (2H, m), 1.76-1.88 (2H, m), 1.99-2.16 (2H, m), 2.76 (2H, dt, J=17.1, 8.7 Hz), 2.88 (2H, ddd, J=17.1, 8.1, 3.3 Hz), 3.74 (2H, q, J=6.9 Hz), 6.64 (2H, d, J=8.7 Hz), 6.70 (2H, s), 7.86 (2H, d, J=8.7 Hz)

Example 12 (1) Ethyl 4-[N-cyclopropylmethyl-(6a-methyl-5,6,6a,7,8,9-hexahydro-4H-2-phenalenyl)amino]benzoate

A suspension of sodium hydride (60%, 0.013 g) in N,N-dimethylformamide (2 ml) was added with ethyl 4-[(6a-methyl-5,6,6a,7,8,9-hexahydro-4H-2-phenalenyl)amino]benzoate (0.055 g) dissolved in N,N-dimethylformamide (2 ml), and the mixture was stirred at room temperature for 15 minutes. The reaction mixture was added with bromomethylcyclopropane (0.035 ml), the mixture was stirred overnight at room temperature, and then added with saturated aqueous ammonium chloride, and the mixture was extracted with diethyl ether. The organic layer was washed successively with water and saturated brine, and dried over anhydrous sodium sulfate. The organic layer was concentrated under reduced pressure, and the resulting residue was purified by silica gel column chromatography (developing solvent: ethyl acetate:n-hexane=1:50) to quantitatively obtain the title compound (0.063 g).

¹H-NMR (400 MHz, CDCl₃): δ 0.15 (2H, q, J=5.1 Hz), 0.46-0.52 (2H, m), 1.09-1.17 (1H, m), 1.19 (3H, s), 1.34 (3H, t, J=7.2 Hz), 1.48-1.57 (2H, m), 1.69 (2H, dt, J=12.9, 3.9 Hz), 1.76-1.87 (2H, m), 1.99-2.15 (2H, m), 2.74 (2H, dt, J=17.1, 8.7 Hz), 2.87 (2H, ddd, J=17.1, 7.8, 3.3 Hz), 3.53 (2H, d, J=6.3 Hz), 4.30 (2H, q, J=7.2 Hz), 6.68 (2H, d, J=8.7 Hz), 6.72 (2H, s), 7.82 (2H, d, J=8.7 Hz)

(2) 4-[N-Cyclopropylmethyl-(6a-methyl-5,6,6a,7,8,9-hexahydro-4H-2-phenalenyl)amino]benzoic acid

A suspension of ethyl 4-[N-cyclopropylmethyl-(6a-methyl-5,6,6a,7,8,9-hexahydro-4H-2-phenalenyl)amino]benzoate (0.063 g) in ethanol (5 ml) was added with 20% aqueous sodium hydroxide (1 ml), and the mixture was stirred overnight at 50° C. The reaction mixture was left to cool and then made acidic with 2 N aqueous hydrochloric acid, and the mixture was extracted with chloroform. The organic layer was washed with saturated brine, and dried over anhydrous sodium sulfate. The organic layer was concentrated under reduced pressure, and the resulting residue was recrystallized from chloroform-n-hexane to obtain the title compound (0.042 g, yield: 71%) as colorless needles (melting point: 234-235° C.).

¹H-NMR (400 MHz, CDCl₃): δ 0.16 (2H, q, J=4.8 Hz), 0.47-0.53 (2H, m), 1.12-1.17 (1H, m), 1.19 (3H, s), 1.48-1.58 (2H, m), 1.67-1.72 (2H, m), 1.76-1.87 (2H, m), 1.99-2.16 (2H, m), 2.75 (2H, dt, J=17.4, 8.7 Hz), 2.83-2.92 (2H, m), 3.54 (2H, d, J=6.3 Hz), 6.67 (2H, d, J=8.7 Hz), 6.73 (2H, s), 7.86 (2H, d, J=8.7 Hz)

Example 13 (1) Ethyl 2-[(5,6,6a,7,8,9-hexahydro-6a-methyl-4H-2-phenalenyl)amino]pyrimidine-5-carboxylate

6a-Methyl-5,6,6a,7,8,9-hexahydro-4H-2-phenalenylamine (0.111 g) was added with ethyl 2-chloropyrimidine-5-carboxylate (0.104 g) and potassium carbonate (0.400 g), and the mixture was stirred overnight at 110° C. The reaction mixture was left to cool and then added with water, and the mixture was extracted with chloroform. The organic layer was washed successively with water and saturated brine, and dried over anhydrous sodium sulfate. The organic layer was concentrated under reduced pressure, and the resulting residue was purified by silica gel column chromatography (developing solvent: ethyl acetate:n-hexane=1:20) to obtain the title compound (0.162 g, yield: 84%).

¹H-NMR (400 MHz, CDCl₃): δ 1.16 (3H, s), 1.49 (2H, td, J=12.9, 4.8 Hz), 1.67 (2H, dt, J=12.9, 4.1 Hz), 1.76-1.87 (2H, m), 1.98-2.15 (2H, m), 2.80 (2H, dt, J=17.1, 8.4 Hz), 2.93 (2H, ddd, J=17.1, 8.1, 3.3 Hz), 4.36 (2H, q, J=7.2 Hz), 7.12 (2H, s), 7.77 (1H, br-s), 8.94 (2H, s)

(2) 2-[(5,6,6a,7,8,9-Hexahydro-6a-methyl-4H-2-phenalenyl)amino]pyrimidine-5-carboxylic acid

A suspension of ethyl 2-[(5,6,6a,7,8,9-hexahydro-6a-methyl-4H-2-phenalenyl)amino]pyrimidine-5-carboxylate (0.043 g) in ethanol (5 ml) was added with 20% aqueous sodium hydroxide (1 ml), and the mixture was stirred at 50° C. for 3 hours. The reaction mixture was left to cool and then made acidic with 2 N aqueous hydrochloric acid, and the mixture was extracted with chloroform. The organic layer was washed successively with water and saturated brine, and dried over anhydrous sodium sulfate. The organic layer was concentrated under reduced pressure, and the resulting residue was recrystallized from ethanol-chloroform to obtain the title compound (0.029 g, yield: 74%) as colorless needles (melting point: >300° C.).

¹H-NMR (400 MHz, DMSO-d₆): δ 1.06 (3H, s), 1.30-1.40 (2H, m), 1.56-1.63 (2H, m), 1.66-1.75 (2H, m), 1.91-1.98 (2H, m), 2.62-2.71 (2H, m), 2.74-2.78 (2H, m), 7.13 (2H, s), 8.76 (2H, s), 9.78 (1H, s)

Example 14 2-[N-Methyl-(5,6,6a,7,8,9-hexahydro-6a-methyl-4H-2-phenalenyl)amino]pyrimidine-5-carboxylic acid

A suspension of sodium hydride (60%, 0.008 g) in N,N-dimethylformamide (2 ml) was added with ethyl 2-[(5,6,6a,7,8,9-hexahydro-6a-methyl-4H-2-phenalenyl)amino]pyrimidine-5-carboxylate (0.034 g) dissolved in N,N-dimethylformamide (1 ml), and the mixture was stirred at room temperature for 10 minutes. The reaction mixture was added with iodomethane (0.018 ml), and the mixture was stirred overnight. The reaction mixture was added with saturated aqueous ammonium chloride, and the mixture was extracted with diethyl ether. The organic layer was washed successively with water and saturated brine, and dried over anhydrous sodium sulfate. The organic layer was concentrated under reduced pressure, and the resulting residue was suspended in ethanol (5 ml), the suspension was added with 20% aqueous sodium hydroxide (1 ml), and the mixture was stirred at 50° C. for 3 hours. The reaction mixture was left to cool and then made acidic with 2 N aqueous hydrochloric acid, and the mixture was extracted with chloroform. The organic layer was washed successively with water and saturated brine, and dried over anhydrous sodium sulfate. The organic layer was concentrated under reduced pressure, and the resulting residue was recrystallized from ethanol to obtain the title compound (0.028 g, yield: 85%) as colorless needles (melting point: >300° C.).

¹H-NMR (400 MHz, CDCl₃): δ 1.19 (3H, s), 1.52 (2H, td, J=12.9, 5.4 Hz), 1.67 (2H, m), 1.77-1.86 (2H, m), 1.99-2.15 (2H, m), 2.74-2.86 (2H, m), 2.91 (2H, ddd, J=17.1, 7.8, 3.3 Hz), 3.54 (3H, s), 6.80 (2H, s), 8.91 (211,

Example 15 2-[N-Ethyl-(5,6,6a,7,8,9-hexahydro-6a-methyl-4H-2-phenalenyl)amino]pyrimidine-5-carboxylic acid

A suspension of sodium hydride (60%, 0.008 g) in N,N-dimethylformamide (2 ml) was added with ethyl 2-[(5,6,6a,7,8,9-hexahydro-6a-methyl-4H-2-phenalenyl)amino]pyrimidine-5-carboxylate (0.033 g) dissolved in N,N-dimethylformamide (1 ml), and the mixture was stirred at room temperature for 10 minutes. The reaction mixture was added with bromoethane (0.021 ml), and the mixture was stirred overnight. The reaction mixture was added with saturated aqueous ammonium chloride, and the mixture was extracted with diethyl ether. The organic layer was washed successively with water and saturated brine, and dried over anhydrous sodium sulfate. The organic layer was concentrated under reduced pressure, and the resulting residue was suspended in ethanol (5 ml), the suspension was added with 20% aqueous sodium hydroxide (1 ml), and the mixture was stirred at 50° C. for 3 hours. The reaction mixture was left to cool and then made acidic with 2 N aqueous hydrochloric acid, and the mixture was extracted with chloroform. The organic layer was washed successively with water and saturated brine, and dried over anhydrous sodium sulfate. The organic layer was concentrated under reduced pressure, and the resulting residue was recrystallized from chloroform-n-hexane to obtain the title compound (0.025 g, yield: 76%) as colorless needles (melting point: 257-258° C.).

¹H-NMR (400 MHz, CDCl₃): δ 1.19 (3H, s), 1.24 (3H, t, J=7.2 Hz), 1.53 (2H, td, J=12.9, 4.8 Hz), 1.63-1.70 (2H, m), 1.77-1.86 (2H, m), 2.01-2.10 (2H, m), 2.74-2.83 (2H, m), 2.86-2.95 (2H, m), 4.01 (2H, q, J=7.2 Hz), 6.73 (2H, s), 8.89 (211,

Example 16 2-[N-Cyclopropylmethyl-(5,6,6a,7,8,9-hexahydro-6a-methyl-4H-2-phenalenyl)amino]pyrimidine-5-carboxylic acid

A suspension of sodium hydride (60%, 0.009 g) in N,N-dimethylformamide (2 ml) was added with ethyl 2-[(5,6,6a,7,8,9-hexahydro-6a-methyl-4H-2-phenalenyl)amino]pyrimidine-5-carboxylate (0.036 g) dissolved in N,N-dimethylformamide (1 ml), and the mixture was stirred at room temperature for 10 minutes. The reaction mixture was added with bromomethylcyclopropane (0.030 ml), and the mixture was stirred overnight. The reaction mixture was added with saturated aqueous ammonium chloride, and the mixture was extracted with diethyl ether. The organic layer was washed successively with water and saturated brine, and dried over anhydrous sodium sulfate. The organic layer was concentrated under reduced pressure, the resulting residue was suspended in ethanol (5 ml), the suspension was added with 20% aqueous sodium hydroxide (1 ml), and the mixture was stirred at 50° C. for 3 hours. The reaction mixture was left to cool and then made acidic with 2 N aqueous hydrochloric acid, and the mixture was extracted with chloroform. The organic layer was washed successively with water and saturated brine, and dried over anhydrous sodium sulfate. The organic layer was concentrated under reduced pressure, and the resulting residue was recrystallized from ethanol-n-hexane to obtain the title compound (0.032 g, yield: 82%) as pale yellow needles (melting point: 123-124° C.).

¹H-NMR (400 MHz, CDCl₃): δ 0.20-0.25 (2H, m), 0.43-0.49 (2H, m), 0.95-0.98 (1H, m), 1.18 (3H, s), 1.48-1.58 (2H, m), 1.63 (2H, m), 1.74-1.85 (2H, m), 1.98-2.10 (2H, m), 2.74-2.82 (2H, m), 2.83-2.95 (2H, m), 3.85 (2H, d, J=6.9 Hz), 6.77 (2H, s), 8.87 (2H, s)

Example 17 (1) Ethyl (6,7,8,9-tetrahydro-5-benzocycloheptenylidene)acetate

A suspension of sodium hydride (60%, 2.25 g) in anhydrous benzene (100 ml) was slowly added with a solution of diethyl phosphonoacetate (14.0 g) in anhydrous benzene (20 ml) at 0° C., and the mixture was stirred at 0° C. for 15 minutes. The mixture was added with a solution of 1-benzosuberone (5.00 g) in anhydrous benzene (30 ml), and the mixture was stirred at 0° C. for 15 minutes, and then refluxed overnight by heating. The reaction mixture was left to cool and then added with saturated aqueous ammonium chloride, and the mixture was extracted with ethyl acetate. The organic layer was washed successively with water and saturated brine, and dried over anhydrous sodium sulfate. The organic layer was concentrated under reduced pressure, and the resulting residue was purified by silica gel column chromatography (developing solvent: ethyl acetate:n-hexane=1:200) to quantitatively obtain the title compound.

(2) Ethyl (6,7,8,9-tetrahydro-5H-5-benzocycloheptenyl)acetate

A solution of ethyl (6,7,8,9-tetrahydro-5-benzocycloheptenylidene)acetate (0.550 g) in ethyl acetate (10 ml) was added with 10% palladium/carbon (0.055 g), and the mixture was stirred for 3 hours under a hydrogen flow. The reaction mixture was filtered through Celite, and then the solvent of the filtrate was concentrated under reduced pressure to obtain the title compound (0.551 g, yield: 99%).

¹H-NMR (400 MHz, CDCl₃): δ 1.22 (3H, t, J=7.2 Hz), 1.47-1.64 (2H, m), 1.72-1.95 (4H, m), 2.65-2.79 (2H, m), 2.82-2.95 (2H, m), 3.43-3.52 (1H, m), 4.12 (2H, q, J=7.2 Hz), 7.07-7.15 (4H, m)

(3) (6,7,8,9-Tetrahydro-5H-5-benzocycloheptenyl)acetaldehyde

Ethyl (6,7,8,9-tetrahydro-5H-5-benzocycloheptenyl)acetate (0.550 g) was dissolved in anhydrous toluene (10 ml), and the solution was slowly added with diisobutylaluminum hydride (0.93 M n-hexane solution, 2.8 ml) at −78° C. under an argon flow. The reaction mixture was stirred −78° C. for 1 hour, and then slowly added with methanol (3 ml) and 2 N aqueous hydrochloric acid, and the mixture was extracted with ethyl acetate. The organic layer was washed successively with water and saturated brine, and dried over anhydrous sodium sulfate. The organic layer was concentrated under reduced pressure, and the resulting residue was purified by silica gel column chromatography (developing solvent: ethyl acetate:n-hexane=1:300) to obtain the title compound (0.432 g, yield: 97%).

¹H-NMR (400 MHz, CDCl₃): δ 1.48-1.65 (2H, m), 1.73-1.90 (4H, m), 2.75-2.98 (4H, m), 3.53-3.61 (1H, m), 7.05-7.16 (4H, m), 9.80 (1H, t, J=2.1 Hz)

(4) Ethyl 4-(6,7,8,9-tetrahydro-5H-5-benzocycloheptenyl)-2-butenoate

A suspension of sodium hydride (60%, 0.130 g) in anhydrous benzene (5 ml) was slowly added with diethyl phosphonoacetate (0.750 g) at 0° C., and the mixture was stirred at 0° C. for 10 minutes. The mixture was added with a solution of (6,7,8,9-tetrahydro-5H-5-benzocycloheptenyl)acetaldehyde (0.419 g) in anhydrous benzene (5 ml), and the mixture was stirred at 0° C. for 5 minutes, and then refluxed overnight by heating. The reaction mixture was left to cool and then added with saturated aqueous ammonium chloride, and the mixture was extracted with ethyl acetate. The organic layer was washed successively with water and saturated brine, and dried over anhydrous sodium sulfate. The organic layer was concentrated under reduced pressure, and the resulting residue was purified by silica gel column chromatography (developing solvent: ethyl acetate:n-hexane=1:300) to obtain the title compound (0.544 g, yield: 94%).

(5) Ethyl 4-(6,7,8,9-tetrahydro-5H-5-benzocycloheptenyl)butyrate

A solution of ethyl 4-(6,7,8,9-tetrahydro-5H-5-benzocycloheptenyl)-2-butenoate (0.544 g) in ethyl acetate (10 ml) was added with 10% palladium/carbon (0.054 g), and the mixture was stirred for 3 hours under a hydrogen flow. The reaction mixture was filtered through Celite, and then the solvent of the filtrate was concentrated under reduced pressure to obtain the title compound (0.534 g, yield: 97%).

¹H-NMR (400 MHz, CDCl₃): δ 1.25 (3H, t, J=7.2 Hz), 1.58-1.89 (10H, m), 2.32 (2H, t, J=7.2 Hz), 2.83 (3H, dd, J=11.4, 4.8 Hz), 4.12 (2H, q, J=7.2 Hz), 7.06-7.09 (2H, m), 7.10-7.12 (2H, m)

(6) 4-(6,7,8,9-Tetrahydro-5H-5-benzocycloheptenyl)butyric acid

A solution of ethyl 4-(6,7,8,9-tetrahydro-5H-5-benzocycloheptenyl)butyrate (0.534 g) in methanol (10 ml) was added with 2 N aqueous sodium hydroxide (2 ml), and the mixture was stirred at room temperature for 3 hours. The reaction mixture was added with 2 N aqueous hydrochloric acid and thereby made acidic, and the mixture was extracted with chloroform. The organic layer was washed successively with water and saturated brine, dried over anhydrous sodium sulfate, and then concentrated under reduced pressure to quantitatively obtain the title compound.

¹H-NMR (400 MHz, CDCl₃): δ 1.51-1.92 (10H, m), 2.38 (2H, t, J=7.2 Hz), 2.80-2.85 (3H, m), 7.07-7.12 (4H, m)

(7) 5,6,7,7a,8,9,10,11-Octahydro-4-benzo[ef]heptalenone

4-(6,7,8,9-Tetrahydro-5H-5-benzocycloheptenyl)butyric acid (0.478 g) was added with polyphosphoric acid (4.80 g), and the mixture was stirred at 110° C. for 4 hours. The reaction mixture was poured into ice water, and the mixture was extracted with ethyl acetate. The organic layer was washed successively with water and saturated brine, and dried over anhydrous sodium sulfate. The organic layer was concentrated under reduced pressure, and the resulting residue was purified by silica gel column chromatography (developing solvent: ethyl acetate:n-hexane=1:100) to obtain the title compound (0.326 g, yield: 74%).

¹H-NMR (400 MHz, CDCl₃): δ 1.45-1.54 (1H, m), 1.61-1.75 (2H, m), 1.92-1.99 (7H, m), 2.56-2.62 (1H, m), 2.81-2.97 (3H, m), 3.40-3.48 (1H, m), 7.13 (1H, t, J=7.5 Hz), 7.20 (1H, dd, J=7.5, 1.5 Hz), 7.37 (1H, dd, J=7.5, 1.5 Hz)

(8) 5,6,7,7a,8,9,10,11-Octahydro-4H-benzo[ef]heptalene

A solution of 5,6,7,7a,8,9,10,11-octahydro-4-benzo[ef]heptalenone (0.280 g) in trifluoroacetic acid (2 ml) was added with triethylsilane (0.42 ml), and the mixture was stirred overnight at 60° C. The reaction mixture was concentrated under reduced pressure, the resulting residue was poured into ice water, and the mixture was extracted with ethyl acetate. The organic layer was washed successively with saturated aqueous sodium hydrogencarbonate, water and saturated brine, and dried over anhydrous sodium sulfate. The organic layer was concentrated under reduced pressure, and the resulting residue was purified by silica gel column chromatography (developing solvent: n-hexane) to obtain the title compound (0.195 g, yield: 74%).

¹H-NMR (400 MHz, CDCl₃): δ 1.47-1.66 (6H, m), 1.78-1.96 (6H, m), 2.81-2.86 (4H, m), 3.20-3.29 (1H, m), 6.90-6.99 (3H, m) (9) 1-(5,6,7,7a,8,9,10,11-Octahydro-4H-2-benzo[ef]heptalenyl)ethanone

A suspension of aluminum chloride (0.155 g) in carbon disulfide (3 ml) was added with acetyl chloride (0.090 ml), and the mixture was stirred at room temperature for 15 minutes. The reaction mixture was cooled to 0° C., and slowly added with 5,6,7,7a,8,9,10,11-octahydro-4H-benzo[ef]heptalene (0.194 g) dissolved in carbon disulfide (2 ml), and the mixture was stirred at 0° C. for 30 minutes and at room temperature overnight. The reaction mixture was poured into ice water, the mixture was extracted with ethyl acetate, and the organic layer was washed successively with water and saturated brine, and dried over anhydrous sodium sulfate. The organic layer was concentrated under reduced pressure, and the resulting residue was purified by silica gel column chromatography (developing solvent: ethyl acetate:n-hexane=1:300) to obtain 1-(5,6,7,7a,8,9,10,11-octahydro-4H-1-benzo[ef]heptalenyl)ethanone (0.042 g, yield: 18%) and the title compound (0.180 g, yield: 77%).

¹H-NMR (400 MHz, CDCl₃): δ 1.47-1.70 (6H, m), 1.78-1.98 (6H, m), 2.56 (3H, s), 2.90 (4H, t, J=5.4 Hz), 3.24-3.31 (1H, m), 7.52 (2H, s)

(10) 5,6,7,7a,8,9,10,11-Octahydro-4H-2-benzo[ef]heptalenecarboxylic acid

2.5 N Aqueous sodium hydroxide (4 ml) was cooled to 0° C., and slowly added with bromine (0.13 ml), and then the mixture was diluted with 1,4-dioxane (3 ml) to obtain a yellow solution. A solution of 1-(5,6,7,7a,8,9,10,11-octahydro-4H-2-benzo[ef]heptalenyl)ethanone (0.180 g) in water (2 ml) and 1,4-dioxane (5 ml) was cooled to 0° C., and slowly added with the yellow solution prepared above, and the mixture was stirred at 0° C. for 30 minutes and at room temperature for 3 hours. The reaction mixture was cooled to 0° C., added with 10% aqueous sodium sulfite, and then made acidic with 2 N aqueous hydrochloric acid, and the mixture was extracted with chloroform. The organic layer was washed successively with water and saturated brine, and dried over anhydrous sodium sulfate. The organic layer was concentrated under reduced pressure, and the resulting residue was recrystallized from ethyl acetate-n-hexane to obtain the title compound (0.161 g, yield: 88%) as colorless needles (melting point: 178.5-179.5° C.).

¹H-NMR (400 MHz, CDCl₃): δ 1.48-1.71 (6H, m), 1.78-1.96 (6H, m), 2.91 (4H, t, J=5.4 Hz), 3.26-3.33 (1H, m), 7.67 (2H, s)

(11) 5,6,7,7a,8,9,10,11-Octahydro-4H-2-benzo[ef]heptalenylamine

A solution of 5,6,7,7a,8,9,10,11-octahydro-4H-2-benzo[ef]heptalenecarboxylic acid (0.250 g) in anhydrous benzene (2 ml) was added with thionyl chloride (1 ml), and the mixture was refluxed by heating for 3 hours. The mixture was concentrated under reduced pressure, a solution of the resulting residue in anhydrous tetrahydrofuran (10 ml) was cooled to 0° C., and added with a solution of sodium azide (0.199 g) in water (1 ml), and the mixture was stirred at 0° C. for 10 minutes and at room temperature for 1 hour. The reaction mixture was added with saturated aqueous sodium hydrogencarbonate, and the mixture was extracted with diethyl ether. The organic layer was washed successively with water and saturated brine, and dried over anhydrous sodium sulfate. The organic layer was concentrated under reduced pressure, the resulting residue was dissolved in acetic acid (5 ml) and water (2 ml), and the solution was refluxed by heating for 1 hour. The reaction mixture was left to cool, then added with saturated aqueous sodium hydrogencarbonate and thereby made alkaline, and then the mixture was extracted with ethyl acetate. The organic layer was washed successively with water and saturated brine, and dried over anhydrous sodium sulfate. The organic layer was concentrated under reduced pressure, the resulting residue was dissolved in methanol (5 ml), the solution was added with concentrated hydrochloric acid (5 ml), and the mixture was refluxed by heating for 3 hours. The reaction mixture was left to cool and then made alkaline with 2 N aqueous sodium hydroxide, and the mixture was extracted with diethyl ether. The organic layer was washed successively with water and saturated brine, and dried over anhydrous sodium sulfate. The organic layer was concentrated under reduced pressure, and the resulting residue was purified by silica gel column chromatography (developing solvent: ethyl acetate:n-hexane=1:50) to obtain the title compound (0.134 g, yield: 61%).

¹H-NMR (400 MHz, CDCl₃): δ 1.44-1.64 (6H, m), 1.76-1.92 (6H, m), 2.70-2.76 (4H, m), 3.09-3.16 (1H, m), 3.43 (2H, br-s), 6.31 (2H, s)

(12) Ethyl 4-[(5,6,7,7a,8,9,10,11-octahydro-4H-2-benzo[ef]heptalenyl)amino]benzoate

5,6,7,7a,8,9,10,11-Octahydro-4H-2-benzo[ef]heptalenylamine (0.230 g) and ethyl 4-iodobenzoate (0.325 g) were dissolved in anhydrous toluene (12 ml), the solution was added with tris(dibenzylideneacetone)dipalladium (0.020 g), (±)-2,2′-bis(diphenylphosphino)-1,1′-binaphthyl (0.027 g), and cesium carbonate (0.383 g), and the mixture was stirred at 80° C. for 24 hours under an argon flow. The reaction mixture was left to cool and then poured into ice water, and the mixture was extracted with ethyl acetate. The organic layer was washed successively with 2 N aqueous hydrochloric acid, water and saturated brine, and dried over anhydrous sodium sulfate. The organic layer was concentrated under reduced pressure, and the resulting residue was purified by silica gel column chromatography (developing solvent: ethyl acetate:n-hexane=1:150) to obtain the title compound (0.245 g, yield: 63%).

¹H-NMR (400 MHz, CDCl₃): δ 1.37 (3H, t, J=7.2 Hz), 1.51-1.69 (6H, m), 1.80-1.96 (6H, m), 2.73-2.88 (4H, m), 3.17-3.24 (1H, m), 4.33 (2H, q, J=7.2 Hz), 5.86 (1H, br-s), 6.76 (2H, s), 6.95 (2H, d, J=9.0 Hz), 7.90 (2H, d, J=9.0 Hz)

(13) 4-[(5,6,7,7a,8,9,10,11-Octahydro-4H-2-benzo[ef]heptalenyl)amino]benzoic acid

A suspension of ethyl 4-[(5,6,7,7a,8,9,10,11-octahydro-4H-2-benzo[ef]heptalenyl)amino]benzoate (0.040 g) in ethanol (5 ml) was added with 20% aqueous sodium hydroxide (1 ml), and the mixture was stirred overnight at 50° C. The reaction mixture was left to cool and then made acidic with 2 N aqueous hydrochloric acid, and the mixture was extracted with chloroform. The organic layer was washed with saturated brine, and dried over anhydrous sodium sulfate. The organic layer was concentrated under reduced pressure, and the resulting residue was recrystallized from ethyl acetate-n-hexane to obtain the title compound (0.031 g, yield: 84%) as brown needles (melting point: 203-204° C.).

¹H-NMR (400 MHz, CDCl₃): δ 1.48-1.67 (6H, m), 1.80-1.96 (6H, m), 2.74-2.87 (4H, m), 3.18-3.25 (1H, m), 5.92 (1H, br-s), 6.78 (2H, s), 6.95 (2H, d, J=8.7 Hz), 7.95 (2H, d, J=8.7 Hz)

Example 18 (1) Ethyl 4-[N-methyl-(5,6,7,7a,8,9,10,11-octahydro-4H-2-benzo[ef]heptalenyl)amino]benzoate

A suspension of sodium hydride (60%, 0.009 g) in N,N-dimethylformamide (2 ml) was added with ethyl 4-[(5,6,7,7a,8,9,10,11-octahydro-4H-2-benzo[ef]heptalenyl)amino]benzoate (0.039 g) dissolved in N,N-dimethylformamide (1 ml), and the mixture was stirred at room temperature for 10 minutes. The reaction mixture was added with iodomethane (0.017 ml), the mixture was stirred overnight at room temperature, and then added with saturated aqueous ammonium chloride, and the mixture was extracted with diethyl ether. The organic layer was washed successively with water and saturated brine, and dried over anhydrous sodium sulfate. The organic layer was concentrated under reduced pressure, and the resulting residue was purified by silica gel column chromatography (developing solvent: ethyl acetate:n-hexane=1:50) to quantitatively obtain the title compound (0.040 g).

¹H-NMR (400 MHz, CDCl₃): δ 1.36 (3H, t, J=7.2 Hz), 1.52-1.71 (6H, m), 1.81-1.97 (6H, m), 2.71-2.88 (4H, m), 3.20-3.27 (1H, m), 3.32 (3H, s), 4.31 (2H, q, J=7.2 Hz), 6.74 (2H, d, J=8.7 Hz), 6.76 (2H, s), 7.86 (2H, d, J=8.7 Hz)

(2) 4-[N-Methyl-(5,6,7,7a,8,9,10,11-octahydro-4H-2-benzo[ef]heptalenyl)amino]benzoic acid

A suspension of ethyl 4-[N-methyl-(5,6,7,7a,8,9,10,11-octahydro-4H-2-benzo[ef]heptalenyl)amino]benzoate (0.040 g) in ethanol (5 ml) was added with 20% aqueous sodium hydroxide (1 ml), and the mixture was stirred overnight at 50° C. The reaction mixture was left to cool and then made acidic with 2 N aqueous hydrochloric acid, and the mixture was extracted with chloroform. The organic layer was washed with saturated brine, and dried over anhydrous sodium sulfate. The organic layer was concentrated under reduced pressure, and the resulting residue was recrystallized from ethyl acetate-n-hexane to obtain the title compound (0.032 g, yield: 86%) as brown needles (melting point: 203-204° C.).

¹H-NMR (400 MHz, CDCl₃): δ 1.53-1.71 (6H, m), 1.81-1.97 (6H, m), 2.73-2.89 (4H, m), 3.20-3.28 (1H, m), 3.34 (3H, s), 6.73 (2H, d, J=8.7 Hz), 6.78 (2H, s), 7.90 (2H, d, J=8.7 Hz)

Example 19 (1) Ethyl 4-[N-ethyl-(5,6,7,7a,8,9,10,11-octahydro-4H-2-benzo[ef]heptalenyl)amino]benzoate

A suspension of sodium hydride (60%, 0.009 g) in N,N-dimethylformamide (2 ml) was added with ethyl 4-[(5,6,7,7a,8,9,10,11-octahydro-4H-2-benzo[ef]heptalenyl)amino]benzoate (0.039 g) dissolved in N,N-dimethylformamide (1 ml), and the mixture was stirred at room temperature for 10 minutes. The reaction mixture was added with bromoethane (0.020 ml), the mixture was stirred overnight at room temperature, and then added with saturated aqueous ammonium chloride, and the mixture was extracted with diethyl ether. The organic layer was washed successively with water and saturated brine, and dried over anhydrous sodium sulfate. The organic layer was concentrated under reduced pressure, and the resulting residue was purified by silica gel column chromatography (developing solvent: ethyl acetate:n-hexane=1:50) to obtain the title compound (0.040 g, yield: 95%).

¹H-NMR (400 MHz, CDCl₃): δ 1.24 (3H, t, J=7.2 Hz), 1.35 (3H, t, J=7.2 Hz), 1.52-1.72 (6H, m), 1.81-1.98 (6H, m), 2.71-2.88 (4H, m), 3.20-3.27 (1H, m), 3.75 (2H, q, J=7.2 Hz), 4.31 (2H, q, J=7.2 Hz), 6.66 (2H, d, J=8.7 Hz), 6.74 (2H, s), 7.83 (2H, d, J=8.7 Hz)

(2) 4-[N-Ethyl-(5,6,7,7a,8,9,10,11-octahydro-4H-2-benzo[ef]heptalenyl)amino]benzoic acid

A suspension of ethyl 4-[N-ethyl-(5,6,7,7a,8,9,10,11-octahydro-4H-2-benzo[ef]heptalenyl)amino]benzoate (0.040 g) in ethanol (5 ml) was added with 20% aqueous sodium hydroxide (1 ml), and the mixture was stirred overnight at 50° C. The reaction mixture was left to cool and then made acidic with 2 N aqueous hydrochloric acid, and the mixture was extracted with chloroform. The organic layer was washed with saturated brine, and dried over anhydrous sodium sulfate. The organic layer was concentrated under reduced pressure, and the resulting residue was recrystallized from ethyl acetate-n-hexane to obtain the title compound (0.032 g, yield: 86%) as colorless needles (melting point: 256.5-257.5° C.).

¹H-NMR (400 MHz, CDCl₃): δ 1.25 (3H, t, J=7.2 Hz), 1.52-1.72 (6H, m), 1.81-1.97 (6H, m), 2.73-2.89 (4H, m), 3.21-3.28 (1H, m), 3.76 (2H, q, J=7.2 Hz), 6.65 (2H, d, J=8.7 Hz), 6.75 (2H, s), 7.87 (2H, d, J=8.7 Hz)

Example 20 (1) Ethyl 4-[N-cyclopropylmethyl-(5,6,7,7a,8,9,10,11-octahydro-4H-2-benzo[ef]heptalenyl)amino]benzoate

A suspension of sodium hydride (60%, 0.009 g) in N,N-dimethylformamide (2 ml) was added with ethyl 4-[(5,6,7,7a,8,9,10,11-octahydro-4H-2-benzo[ef]heptalenyl)amino]benzoate (0.040 g) dissolved in N,N-dimethylformamide (1 ml), and the mixture was stirred at room temperature for 10 minutes. The reaction mixture was added with bromomethylcyclopropane (0.026 ml), the mixture was stirred overnight at room temperature, and then added with saturated aqueous ammonium chloride, and the mixture was extracted with diethyl ether. The organic layer was washed successively with water and saturated brine, and dried over anhydrous sodium sulfate. The organic layer was concentrated under reduced pressure, and the resulting residue was purified by silica gel column chromatography (developing solvent: ethyl acetate:n-hexane=1:50) to obtain the title compound (0.037 g, yield: 80%).

¹H-NMR (400 MHz, CDCl₃): δ 0.15 (2H, dd, J=10.5, 5.1 Hz), 0.46-0.52 (2H, m), 1.10-1.21 (1H, m), 1.35 (3H, t, J=7.2 Hz), 1.50-1.71 (6H, m), 1.80-1.98 (6H, m), 2.71-2.87 (4H, m), 3.21-3.28 (1H, m), 3.56 (2H, d, J=6.6 Hz), 4.31 (2H, q, J=7.2 Hz), 6.70 (2H, d, J=8.7 Hz), 6.77 (2H, s), 7.83 (2H, d, J=8.7 Hz)

(2) 4-[N-Cyclopropylmethyl-(5,6,7,7a,8,9,10,11-octahydro-4H-2-benzo[ef]heptalenyl)amino]benzoic acid

A suspension of ethyl 4-[N-cyclopropylmethyl-(5,6,7,7a,8,9,10,11-octahydro-4H-2-benzo[ef]heptalenyl)amino]benzoate (0.037 g) in ethanol (5 ml) was added with 20% aqueous sodium hydroxide (1 ml), and the mixture was stirred overnight at 50° C. The reaction mixture was left to cool and then made acidic with 2 N aqueous hydrochloric acid, and the mixture was extracted with chloroform. The organic layer was washed with saturated brine, and dried over anhydrous sodium sulfate. The organic layer was concentrated under reduced pressure, and the resulting residue was recrystallized from ethyl acetate-n-hexane to obtain the title compound (0.026 g, yield: 74%) as colorless needles (melting point: 222-223° C.).

¹H-NMR (400 MHz, CDCl₃): δ 0.15 (2H, dd, J=10.8, 5.1 Hz), 0.47-0.53 (2H, m), 1.13-1.22 (1H, m), 1.52-1.71 (6H, m), 1.80-1.97 (6H, m), 2.73-2.88 (4H, m), 3.21-3.28 (1H, m), 3.56 (2H, d, J=6.3 Hz), 6.69 (2H, d, J=9.0 Hz), 6.78 (2H, s), 7.88 (2H, d, J=9.0 Hz)

Example 21 (1) Ethyl 2-[(5,6,7,7a,8,9,10,11-octahydro-4H-2-benzo[ef]heptalenyl)amino]pyrimidine-5-carboxylate

5,6,7,7a,8,9,10,11-Octahydro-4H-2-benzo[ef]heptalenylamine (0.115 g) was added with ethyl 2-chloropyrimidine-5-carboxylate (0.101 g) and potassium carbonate (0.400 g), and the mixture was stirred overnight at 110° C. The reaction mixture was left to cool and then added with water, and the mixture was extracted with chloroform. The organic layer was washed successively with water and saturated brine, and dried over anhydrous sodium sulfate. The organic layer was concentrated under reduced pressure, and the resulting residue was purified by silica gel column chromatography (developing solvent: ethyl acetate:n-hexane=1:20) to obtain the title compound (0.175 g, yield: 90%).

¹H-NMR (400 MHz, CDCl₃): δ 1.38 (3H, t, J=7.2 Hz), 1.52-1.69 (6H, m), 1.80-1.92 (6H, m), 2.79-2.90 (4H, m), 3.18-3.24 (1H, m), 4.37 (2H, q, J=7.2 Hz), 7.19 (2H, s), 7.74 (1H, s), 8.95 (2H, s)

(2) 2-[(5,6,7,7a,8,9,10,11-Octahydro-4H-2-benzo[ef]heptalenyl)amino]pyrimidine-5-carboxylic acid

A suspension of ethyl 2-[(5,6,7,7a,8,9,10,11-octahydro-4H-2-benzo[ef]heptalenyl)amino]pyrimidine-5-carboxylate (0.037 g) in ethanol (5 ml) was added with 20% aqueous sodium hydroxide (1 ml), and the mixture was stirred at 50° C. for 3 hours. The reaction mixture was left to cool and then made acidic with 2 N aqueous hydrochloric acid, and the mixture was extracted with chloroform. The organic layer was washed successively with water and saturated brine, and dried over anhydrous sodium sulfate. The organic layer was concentrated under reduced pressure, and the resulting residue was recrystallized from ethanol-chloroform to obtain the title compound (0.029 g, yield: 85%) as colorless needles (melting point: >300° C.).

¹H-NMR (400 MHz, DMSO-d₆): δ 1.38-1.55 (6H, m), 1.71-1.88 (6H, m), 2.66-2.81 (4H, m), 3.11-3.20 (1H, m), 7.26 (2H, s), 8.79 (2H, s), 9.85 (1H, s)

Example 22 2-[N-Methyl-(5,6,7,7a,8,9,10,11-octahydro-4H-2-benzo[ef]heptalenyl)amino]pyrimidine-5-carboxylic acid

A suspension of sodium hydride (60%, 0.008 g) in N,N-dimethylformamide (2 ml) was added with ethyl 2-[(5,6,7,7a,8,9,10,11-octahydro-4H-2-benzo[ef]heptalenyl)amino]pyrimidine-5-carboxylate (0.033 g) dissolved in N,N-dimethylformamide (1 ml), and the mixture was stirred at room temperature for 10 minutes. The reaction mixture was added with iodomethane (0.014 ml), and the mixture was stirred overnight. The reaction mixture was added with saturated aqueous ammonium chloride, and the mixture was extracted with diethyl ether. The organic layer was washed successively with water and saturated brine, and dried over anhydrous sodium sulfate. The organic layer was concentrated under reduced pressure, the resulting residue was suspended in ethanol (5 ml), the suspension was added with 20% aqueous sodium hydroxide (1 ml), and the mixture was stirred at 50° C. for 3 hours. The reaction mixture was left to cool and then made acidic with 2 N aqueous hydrochloric acid, and the mixture was extracted with chloroform. The organic layer was washed successively with water and saturated brine, and dried over anhydrous sodium sulfate. The organic layer was concentrated under reduced pressure, and the resulting residue was recrystallized from ethanol to obtain the title compound (0.022 g, yield: 69%) as colorless needles (melting point: >300° C.).

¹H-NMR (400 MHz, CDCl₃): δ 1.54-1.69 (6H, m), 1.82-1.98 (6H, m), 2.75-2.93 (4H, m), 3.20-3.28 (1H, m), 3.56 (3H, s), 6.85 (2H, s), 8.91 (2H, s)

Example 23 2-[N-Ethyl-(5,6,7,7a,8,9,10,11-octahydro-4H-2-benzo[ef]heptalenyl)amino]pyrimidine-5-carboxylic acid

A suspension of sodium hydride (60%, 0.008 g) in N,N-dimethylformamide (2 ml) was added with ethyl 2-[(5,6,7,7a,8,9,10,11-octahydro-4H-2-benzo[ef]heptalenyl)amino]pyrimidine-5-carboxylate (0.033 g) dissolved in N,N-dimethylformamide (1 ml), and the mixture was stirred at room temperature for 10 minutes. The reaction mixture was added with bromoethane (0.017 ml), and the mixture was stirred overnight. The reaction mixture was added with saturated aqueous ammonium chloride, and the mixture was extracted with diethyl ether. The organic layer was washed successively with water and saturated brine, and dried over anhydrous sodium sulfate. The organic layer was concentrated under reduced pressure, the resulting residue was suspended in ethanol (5 ml), the suspension was added with 20% aqueous sodium hydroxide (1 ml), and the mixture was stirred at 50° C. for 3 hours. The reaction mixture was left to cool and then made acidic with 2 N aqueous hydrochloric acid, and the mixture was extracted with chloroform. The organic layer was washed successively with water and saturated brine, and dried over anhydrous sodium sulfate. The organic layer was concentrated under reduced pressure, and the resulting residue was recrystallized from ethanol to obtain the title compound (0.019 g, yield: 58%) as colorless needles (melting point: 266-267° C.).

¹H-NMR (400 MHz, CDCl₃): δ 1.26 (3H, t, J=7.2 Hz), 1.54-1.69 (6H, m), 1.82-1.94 (6H, m), 2.75-2.92 (4H, m), 3.21-3.28 (1H, m), 4.12 (2H, q, J=7.2 Hz), 6.79 (2H, s), 8.89 (2H, s)

Example 24 2-[N-Cyclopropylmethyl-(5,6,7,7a,8,9,10,11-octahydro-4H-2-benzo[ef]heptalenyl)amino]pyrimidine-5-carboxylic acid

A suspension of sodium hydride (60%, 0.008 g) in N,N-dimethylformamide (2 ml) was added with ethyl 2-[(5,6,7,7a,8,9,10,11-octahydro-4H-2-benzo[ef]heptalenyl)amino]pyrimidine-5-carboxylate (0.035 g) dissolved in N,N-dimethylformamide (1 ml), and the mixture was stirred at room temperature for 10 minutes. The reaction mixture was added with bromomethylcyclopropane (0.023 ml), and the mixture was stirred overnight. The reaction mixture was added with saturated aqueous ammonium chloride, and the mixture was extracted with diethyl ether. The organic layer was washed successively with water and saturated brine, and dried over anhydrous sodium sulfate. The organic layer was concentrated under reduced pressure, and the resulting residue was suspended in ethanol (5 ml), the suspension was added with 20% aqueous sodium hydroxide (1 ml), and the mixture was stirred at 50° C. for 3 hours. The reaction mixture was left to cool and then made acidic with 2 N aqueous hydrochloric acid, and the mixture was extracted with chloroform. The organic layer was washed successively with water and saturated brine, and dried over anhydrous sodium sulfate. The organic layer was concentrated under reduced pressure, and the resulting residue was purified by silica gel column chromatography (developing solvent: ethyl acetate:n-hexane=1:5) to obtain the title compound (0.034 g, yield: 89%) as pale yellow amorphous.

¹H-NMR (400 MHz, CDCl₃): δ 0.22 (2H, dd, J=10.8, 4.5 Hz), 0.43-0.50 (2H, m), 1.14-1.20 (1H, m) 1.57-1.68 (6H, m), 1.85-1.97 (6H, m), 2.75-2.91 (4H, m), 3.21-3.29 (1H, m), 3.87 (2H, d, J=6.9 Hz), 6.83 (2H, s), 8.88 (2H, s)

Test Example 1

Cells of human acute promyelocytic leukemia cell strain HL-60 were cultured in a CO₂ incubator (5% CO₂, 37° C.) using the RPMI medium containing 5% FBS. Differentiation inducing action on the HL-60 cells induced by 4-[(5,6,7,8-tetrahydro-5,5,8,8-tetramethyl-2-naphthalenyl)carbamoyl]benzoic acid (Am80) was evaluated on the basis of ability to reduce nitroblue tetrazolium (NBT) determined by observing differentiation from promyelocytic cells into granulocytic cells as an index. The cells that entered into the logarithmic phase and reached a substantially confluent state were centrifuged at 1000 rpm for 5 minutes, and the culture supernatant was removed. The cell pellet was suspended in fresh RPMI medium containing 5% FBS at a density of 8.0×10⁴ cells/ml, then the suspension was added with a test compound dissolved in DMSO at an intended concentration, and the cells were cultured for four days and then used for the experiment. The samples were prepared so as to have the same DMSO concentration.

Cell count of the cells after the culture for a predetermined period was determined by a cell counting method using a blood cell counting chamber. The NBT-reducing ability was obtained as follows. NBT was dissolved in phosphate buffered saline (PBS(−)) at a concentration of 0.2%, and the solution was added with an equivalent volume of the RPMI medium containing 5% FBS. The mixture was added with phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate (tPA) at a concentration of 0.2 μM (about 200 ng) to prepare a reagent solution. The collected cells were centrifuged at 1000 rpm for 5 minutes, the supernatant was removed, and the remained cell pellet was added with the reagent solution. The mixture was incubated on a water bath at 37° C. for 20 minutes, and then NBT-reduced stained positive cells were counted by using the counting chamber to calculate a differentiation induction ratio. The same test was performed with allowing the compounds of the present invention prepared in the aforementioned examples (all were carboxylic acid compounds) to coexist with Am80 to confirm action of the compounds of the present invention for enhancing the retinoid action of Am80. As a compound having a retinoid action enhancing action (positive control), 4-[2,3-(2,5-dimethyl-2,5-hexano)dibenzo[b,f][1,4]thiazepin-11-yl]benzoic acid (HX630, Japanese Patent Unexamined Publication No. 10-59951) was used. The results are shown in Table 1. All the compounds of the present invention had an action of markedly enhancing the retinoid action of Am80.

TABLE 1 [Differentiation induction ratio (%)] Test compound Am80 alone alone Am80 1 nM + Test compound Example 1 nM 100 nM 1 × 10⁻⁹M 1 × 10⁻⁸M 1 × 10⁻⁷M  3 16.9 1.5 20.5 26.4 25.8  4 15.9 1.9 23.9 37.5 82.9 19 16.9 2.2 31.8 44.6 85.4 20 15.9 1.4 35.2 54.8 89.8 HX630 16.9 1.6 20.4 27.8 72.3

INDUSTRIAL APPLICABILITY

The compound of the present invention and a salt thereof had an action of acting as an RXR agonist to and enhance physiological activities of retinoids and the like. Therefore, the compound or a salt thereof of the present invention can be used as a medicament for enhancing expression of actions of retinoids as well as other physiologically active substances such as vitamin D₃ and thyroxine. 

1. A compound represented by the following general formula (I):

[wherein R¹ represents hydrogen atom or a C₁₋₆ alkyl group, A and B independently represent —(CH₂)₂—, —(CH₂)₃— or —(CH₂)₄—, X represents —N(R²)— (R² represents hydrogen atom or a C₁₋₆ alkyl group), —CO—, —C(═N—R³)— (R³ represents hydrogen atom or a C₁₋₆ alkyl group), or —C(═C(R⁴)(R⁵))— (R⁴ and R⁵ independently represent hydrogen atom or a C₁₋₆ alkyl group), and Ar represents an aryldiyl group or a heteroaryldiyl group], a salt thereof, or an ester thereof.
 2. The compound, a salt thereof, or an ester thereof according to claim 1, wherein R¹ is hydrogen atom or methyl group, A and B both represent —(CH₂)₃— or —(CH₂)₄—, X is —N(R²)— (R² represents hydrogen atom or a C₁₋₆ alkyl group), and Ar is a phenylene group, or a pyrimidinediyl group.
 3. An agent for enhancing a retinoid action, which contains the compound according to claim 1 or a physiologically acceptable salt thereof as an active ingredient.
 4. An agent for enhancing a retinoid action, which contains the compound according to claim 2 or a physiologically acceptable salt thereof as an active ingredient. 